Monthly Archives: May 2021

18-Inch Dolls by Alexander Dolls

Name: 18-inch Dolls by Alexander Dolls Made by and When: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2019 Material: Vinyl heads, upper torsos, arms, and legs. The rest of the body is cloth. Marks on Each: Mia Bella—(Head) Alexander Doll Company/©2004; Alexander Doll Company (on body tag) [a copyright year of 2007 was on the doll’sContinue reading “18-Inch Dolls by Alexander Dolls”

Pedigree Head-Turning Walker

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name: Unknown (looks similar to Pedigree’s Mandy Lou) Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material:  Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Voice Box in back is marked 20 T. Height: 20 inches tall Hair/Eyes/Mouth:  Black short astrakhan wigContinue reading “Pedigree Head-Turning Walker”

Mandy Lou

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name:  Mandy Lou Made by and When: Pedigree, 1955 Material: Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Voice box in the back is marked 20 T. Height: 22 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black short astrakhan wig/flirty sleep eyes with attached eyelashes/slightlyContinue reading “Mandy Lou”

Pedigree Delite Negro Girl

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name: Delite Negro Girl Made by and When: Pedigree/1950s Material:  Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Speaker in the back is marked 16 T. Height:  16 inches tall Hair/Eyes/Mouth:  Black short astrakhan wig/flirty sleep eyes with attached eyelashes/closedContinue reading “Pedigree Delite Negro Girl”

Baby Brother Tender Love

Name: Baby Brother Tender Love Made by and When: Mattel, 1975 Material: Soft vinyl Marks: ©1972 MATTEL, INC. (on the head); ©1975 MATTEL INC. USA (on upper back) Height: 13 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Rooted wavy brown hair, painted brown eyes, open mouth with a visible drinking tube Clothes: White, aqua, and yellow striped knitContinue reading “Baby Brother Tender Love”

Li’l David and Li’l Ruthie 1st Anatomically-Correct Dolls

Name: New Arrival Li’l David and Li’l Ruthie Made by and When: Sculpted by Irene Szor for Horsman, 1975 Material: Vinyl heads, stuffed vinyl one-piece bodies Marks: 1/Horsman Dolls, Inc/19©75 (Lil’l David); 1/Horsman Dolls, Inc/19©75 (Li’l Ruthie) Height: 13-1/2 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Painted brown hair, painted brown eyes, drinker mouths Clothes: Li’l David wearsContinue reading “Li’l David and Li’l Ruthie 1st Anatomically-Correct Dolls”

The One and Only Talking Doll Zamika Martin

Name: The One and Only Adoptable Talking Doll Zamika Martin Made by and When: Zambardon, 1988 Material: Vinyl head, arms, and legs; dark brown cloth body with voice box Marks: ©1988 MARTIN/ZAMBARDON CORP Height: 19 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black rooted hair styled in three sectioned-off double-strand twists, sculpted and painted black eyes, closed mouthContinue reading “The One and Only Talking Doll Zamika Martin”

Harriet Tubman by Bertabel’s Dolls

Name: Harriet Tubman Made by and When: Bertabel’s Dolls (I. Roberta Bell), 1969 Material: Clay head and hands, stuffed tan silk body, arms, and legs Marks: Bertabel Dolls is on the outside of the hangtag Height: 16 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Salt and pepper hair, brown painted eyes, closed mouth with deep burgundy painted lipsContinue reading “Harriet Tubman by Bertabel’s Dolls”

Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman

Photographs courtesy of B. W. Flowers Name: Folk Art Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman Made by and When: Rosa Wilder Blackman, 1941 to approximately 1951 Material: 1st Generation dolls have molded clay heads, hands and shoes; padded cloth bodies over a wire armature. Cloth was used for the hands and shoes of later generationContinue reading “Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman”

Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls

Name: Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls – A Communicator for the Past and Present Description: Sneha Sureshkumar was a 10th grader at the time she conducted extensive research for the documentary “Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls.” Her research and the resulting documentary were part of her state’sContinue reading “Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls”