Name: Porcelain and Cloth Souvenir Dolls
Made by and When: Unknown makers, 1950s-1970s
Material: Porcelain heads, firmly stuffed cloth bodies, straw, paint, glue, jewelry
Marks: Unbranded
Height: From the top of the hats to the skirt hemlines, the dolls are approximately 16, 12, and 17 inches.
Hair, Eyes, Mouths: Sculpted and black-painted hair underneath an elaborate straw hat and cloth tignon, side-glancing painted eyes, closed mouths
Clothes: Dressed as shown in cotton dresses with attached white fabric shawls; the smallest doll wears round shell drop earrings. The tallest doll wears a silver chain necklace and a polyester dress dating it back to the 1970s. Puerto Rico is written across the front of the 16-inch doll’s hat.
Other: Sold throughout the Caribbean to tourists, and imported to the countries that sold them, these dolls have beautifully painted porcelain heads and firmly stuffed cloth bodies.
Gallery
_________
Your comments are valued. Donations aid the initiative to preserve Black-doll history.
If you subscribe to DeeBeeGee’s Virtual Black Doll Museum™ by email, click the post title of the email, which links to the website to view all text and associated media. Please “like” and share this installation with your social media contacts. If you’d like to subscribe, add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar. Add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar.
Search for specific dolls or specific doll categories, e.g. “antique dolls” using the search field at the website.
DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum™ 