Name: Jolly Joan Lookalike or Patsy-type Girl
Made by and When: Unknown, 1920s-1930s
Material: Composition
Marks: None.
Height: 11-1/2 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Sculpted black short curls with a sculpted red hair bow on the doll’s left, brown painted eyes that glance slightly to the doll’s right, closed mouth
Clothes: Red, white, and blue dress has a red cotton bodice, white cotton sleeves, paisley print red skirt, and a white silk faille apron decorated with one row each of blue and red rickrack, white nylon panties, white cotton socks, tan two-hole laced shoes. With the exception of the panties, the clothing, socks, and shoes are period-appropriate.
Other: On page 132 of Black Dolls an Identification and Value Guide Book II by Myla Perkins, published in 1995 by Collector Books, this doll is described as, “12”. Composition Patsy look-alike with molded hair, molded red bow on left side near part in hair, painted intaglio eyes, closed mouth, jointed composition arms and legs. Body is one piece with the head. Unmarked. Redressed. 1920-30. A marked Effanbee doll has the same molded hair.”
This doll is best described as a Jolly-Joan-lookalike as it uses the same head sculpt and body as Jolly Joan, a White advertising doll for a Portland, Oregon restaurant of the same name. The Jolly Joan doll was dressed as a waitress. During the time this doll was made, several companies purchased doll sculpts, bodies, and parts from the same manufacturers. The company that sold my doll and the seller of Jolly Joan quite possibly purchased their dolls from the same manufacturer and named and distributed the dolls differently. See photos of Jolly Joan here.
Gallery
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