Name: African Man
Made by and When: Possibly German, late-1800s to early-1900s
Material: Form of papier-mâché or plaster composition, jointed at shoulders and hips
Marks: None
Height: 9 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The hair is Astrakhan or mohair with a curly nap; brown eyes and mouth are painted.
Clothes: Original fur strip around the hips; original earrings but possibly missing a gold cord necklace
Other: This striking figure is part of a large series of men, women, and children of various ethnicities. See the group photo of more African, Native American, East Indian, and other dark-skinned figures from the same series of antique dolls and figures. A similar 6-inch African figure appears on page 28 of Black Dolls Book II an Identification and Value Guide by Myla Perkins (Collector Books, 1995). The doll in Perkins’ book is from the collection of Michael Wolk-Laniewski. The African Man and the doll group shown here are from the collection of a museum benefactor.
Gallery
These are other dark skinned figures (dolls) from the same series.
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