Name: Circa 1940s to 1950s Hand Fashioned Dolls
Made by and When: Penny Barnes made the ca. 1940s to 1950s half doll. The makers of the other two, a ca. 1940s tea bell mammy and a ca. 1950s knit and crocheted miniature doll, are unknown.
Half Doll, ca 1940s
Material: Black cotton fabric, embroidery thread, plastic, yarn, cardboard, thread, satin label
Marks: A white satin customized label stitched to the back of the base reads: Hand Fashioned by Penny Barnes.
Height: 7 inches
Description: The black yarn hair is pulled back in a ponytail with bangs in the front. The facial features are meticulously embroidered—black eyebrows, brown side-glancing eyes, black eyelashes, a black straight-line nose, and red, parted lips. No clothes, only wears stitched-on white plastic hoop earrings. The bottom of the torso is attached to a black cloth-covered cardboard rectangle. The doll was designed for a dress or skirt to cover a small, rectangular-shaped object. Similar, but larger, half dolls were used as appliance covers during the early to mid-1900s.
Tea Bell Mammy, ca 1940s
Material: Metal and wooden tea bell, black yarn, foam, felt, string, red fabric, red and white polka dot fabric
Marks: None
Height: 6 inches
Description: A red headscarf covers the head, which is made of black yarn over a spongy foam ball. White felt circles create the eyes, and black felt creates side-glancing pupils. The mouth is a red felt circle with a horizontal line drawn halfway through to separate the lips. Black strings of yarn that cover the handle of the tea bell create the body. The arms are strands of black yarn tied with strings at the wrists. The clothing is a simple, red and white handmade, full-length polka dot dress.
Miniature Knitted and Crocheted Doll, ca 1950s
Material: Yarn and embroidery thread
Marks: None.
Height: 4 inches
Description: This handmade knitted and crocheted half doll has embroidered eyes, eyebrows, nose, and mouth. Five tiny black yarn balls that frame the face serve as hair. An orange knit cap covers the head. The clothing is a hand-crocheted yellow full-length suspender skirt (the suspenders are thin strings of yellow yarn that crisscross the chest and back). The wide, full skirt is encircled with three tiers of orange knit ruffles and embroidered red flowers with green leaves. Embroidered red flowers with green leaves decorate an orange muff that has the hands inserted inside. The open bottom of the skirt can be stuffed to aid with standing. Without stuffing, this legless doll can be displayed flat.
Other: Included in a doll group purchased at an estate sale in or near Oxnard, California, these circa 1940s to 1950s hand-fashioned dolls were either made by the same doll maker (Penny Barnes) or were part of the same doll collection. During the early to mid-1900s, black dolls (made by non-Black people) often portrayed Black people as objects of utility.
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