Name: Ella Fitzgerald
Made by and When: Floyd Bell, 1999
Material: Carved from basswood and jetulong, cloth body, wire armature, wooden stand
Height: 18 inches tall
Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black hair carved from a block of jetulong wood/carved facial features with brown eyes, a smiling mouth and painted teeth
Clothing: White brocade suit with full-length skirt embellished with faux beads and gold flowers; gold lamé blouse, dangle earrings
Other: This carved portrait doll of Ella Fitzgerald is part of the artist’s American Heritage Series. Known as the “First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. Floyd Bell is a legendary master doll artist/carver. His dolls are housed in several museums worldwide, including the Louvre in Paris, France.
In the third slideshow image, Bell poses with his Ella Fitzgerald doll and a dress worn by the esteemed songstress.
Slideshow (Use the right or left arrows to advance the slideshow.)
Read more about Bell here and here. Listen to the First Lady of Song in the video below the slideshow.
Video
_________
Your comments are valued. Donations aid the initiative to preserve Black-doll history.
If you subscribe to DeeBeeGee’s Virtual Black Doll Museum™ by email, be sure to click the post title in the email, which links to the website to view all text and associated media. Please “like” and share this installation with your social media doll contacts. To subscribe, add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar.