Name: Pajama Bag/Sack Doll
Made by and When: Handmade, c. 1940s
Material: Cloth, yarn, cotton stuffing
Marks: None
Height: 24 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Loops of gray yarn across the “bangs” area serve as hair. The rest of the head is black cloth covered by a pinned-on red headscarf. The doll has side-glancing embroidered black eyes and a red embroidered closed mouth.
Clothes: The red and white polka dot dress has an 11-inch opening in the back for storage, a white organdy apron, and a ruffled hemline made of the dress fabric. Mock white pantaloons cover the doll’s half-legs, which are pinned to the ruffled area of the dress.
Other: This circa 1940s handmade pajama doll has a mature bosom created with cotton that is stuffed between the doll’s dress and the upper body. The doll has a torso without any upper legs attached. The empty space underneath the skirt between the torso and the lower legs serves as a storage compartment for pajamas or other small items. Received in August 2023, an accompanying note of provenance reads as follows:
One of my friend’s mother was given this doll when she was a small child from her grandmother. She is now 75 years old and the grandmother has since passed. We don’t know if she received it new or if it is any older than that. The grandmother was from Oklahoma, but we don’t know where the doll is from. Thank you for accepting this donation as we didn’t know if it was appropriate to donate it and now the mother is in assisted living.
Gallery
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