Author Archives: DeeBeeGee

Kestner #245 Hilda

Name: Kestner #245 Hilda Made by and When: J. D. Kestner, 1914 Material: Brown bisque socket head on brown fully-jointed composition slant hip toddler body Marks: G Made in / 11.Germany / 245 / JDK JR 1914 / CM circle / Hilda Height: 17 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Original plaster pate black wig, brown glassContinue reading “Kestner #245 Hilda”

Bye-Lo Baby

Name: Antique German Bisque Head Bye-Lo Baby Made by and When: Grace S. Putnam, ca. 1922 Material: Bisque head, brown cloth “frog” body, composition hands Marks: The head is marked COPR. BY GRACE S. PUTNAM GERMANY Height: 11 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Painted black hair, brown glass stationary eyes with painted upper and lower eyelashes,Continue reading “Bye-Lo Baby”

Katiba

Name: Katiba Made by and When: Marion Forek-Schmahl for Sigikid, 1992 Material: Vinyl (head and limbs), and brown cloth (body) Marks: 8 / Sigikid / 24581 MS / 18/500 Height: 26 inches; the paper dolls measure 7 inches (Katiba) and 8 inches (Wale) Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The black human-hair wig is now styled in multipleContinue reading “Katiba”

1950s and 1960s Squeak Toy Dolls

Name: 1950s and 1960s Squeak Toy Dolls Made by and When: The Edward Mobley Corp./Arrow Manufacturing & Plastic Corp. (1962); CPC (circa 1950s); and Holland Hall Products, Inc. (1964) Material: Vinyl, plastic, paint, squeaker mechanism Marks: Height: 8-1/2, 8-1/4, 8, and 8 inches, respectively (group picture) Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The Mobley/Arrow dolls have sculpted blackContinue reading “1950s and 1960s Squeak Toy Dolls”

Dolls by Beatrice Wright Brewington (B. Wright)

Name: Christine, Debbie, and Other Dolls by Beatrice Wright Brewington (B. Wright) Made by and When: B. Wright Toy Company, Ltd., late 1960s Material: Lyka skin (a type of rigid vinyl advertised as “the closest thing to nature’s cover.”)  Marks: The dolls’ heads are either marked 11 / B. Wright or Beatrice Wright / ©1967.Continue reading “Dolls by Beatrice Wright Brewington (B. Wright)”

Why Do You Have Black Dolls?

Filmed in 2012, the award-winning short documentary Why Do You Have Black Dolls? by Samantha Knowles explores why children and adults desire Black dolls. Doll artists, collectors, a museum curator, and other Black-doll enthusiasts were interviewed for this project. Read more about the young filmmaker, Samantha Knowles here. _________ Your comments are valued. Donations aid theContinue reading “Why Do You Have Black Dolls?”

Makena Williams and Book

Name: Makena Williams and Book Made by and When: American Girl, 2021 Material: Vinyl head, arms, and legs; cloth body Marks: (Head) ©AMERICAN GIRL; the cloth body tag reads: American Girl / 2017 / REG. NO. PA-9679 (HK) / MADE IN CHINA / SURFACE WASHABLE / LAVABLE UNIQUEMENT EN SURFACE / CE / 1186 MJ,Continue reading “Makena Williams and Book”

Sass ‘n Class Girls Night Out Dolls

Name: Sass ‘n Class Girls Night Out Dolls Made by and When: Annie Lee for Sandy USA, 2004 Material: Vinyl Marks, Complexion, Figure Size: Each doll has a Sass ‘n Class Annie Lee Girls Night Out hangtag with the doll’s series number and name on the back of the hangtag. Each doll has a numberContinue reading “Sass ‘n Class Girls Night Out Dolls”

Dolls by Madelyn McCraney

A Selection of Dolls by Madelyn McCraney of Kuumba Art Design Studio All dolls in this installation are by Madelyn McCraney of Kuumba Art Design Studio, “whose passion, purpose, and heart’s desire are simple; glorify God in all that she does and bring joy to the hearts of her clientele through her uniquely created KuumbaContinue reading “Dolls by Madelyn McCraney”