Carol or Rita Walker

Name: Carol or Rita

Made by and When: Paris Doll Corp, 1950s

Material: Hard plastic

Marks: This doll was issued with a hang tag that contained the company’s name and the doll’s name; the hang tag is missing.

Height: 25 inches

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black saran wig styled in two side braids with the original ribbons at the end of each braid, rolled under bangs maintain the original hair pins that hold the bangs in place; brown sleep eyes with upper eyelashes attached to the eyelids, painted lower eyelashes; open smiling mouth with four upper teeth and a red felt tongue

Clothes: Original tartan plaid dress with attached plaid lace-trimmed vest; the white organza bodice, sleeves and mock organza apron have yellowed with age; the dress snaps closed in back. Wears red vinyl Mary-Jane-style shoes, yellowed rayon socks

Other: Several companies, including Paris Doll Company, manufactured head-turning walker dolls using the same head and body sculpts as this doll. When the doll’s legs are moved back and forth in a walking motion, the head moves from side to side. Known names of Black or White versions made by Paris Doll Company were Carol and Rita. Read more about the Paris Doll Corp here.

Gallery

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Published by DeeBeeGee

Doll collector, historian, co-founder of the first e-zine devoted to collecting black dolls; author of black-doll reference books, doll blogs, and doll magazine articles.

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