Smiling Leo Moss Baby Boy

Name: Smiling Leo Moss Baby Boy

Made by and When: Leo Moss, late 1800s to early 1900s

Material: Papier-mâché, cloth, stuffing, glass eyes

Marks: None visible

Height: 21 inches

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Side-parted, short sculpted, natural-textured hair; brown inset outlined eyes, open smile with six upper sculpted teeth; has some facial scratches

Clothes: Off-white satin christening gown with a matching bonnet

Other: A Black handyman by trade, Leo Moss, a native of Macon, GA, sculpted his doll heads with ethnically correct facial features using a paper-mâché technique during the late 1800s through early 1900s. Doll historians suggest that he sourced pre-made doll parts from a New York toy supplier and then applied papier-mâché to re-sculpt the heads, creating dolls that more accurately represent African American facial features. Many of his dolls are unmarked, while others will bear a cloth label on their body with Moss’s initials (L.M.), the doll’s name, and/or the year made. This doll was acquired from Doumochelle Auction House in Detroit, Michigan.

Gallery (Photos are courtesy of Sharon Harbin.)

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