Author Archives: DeeBeeGee

Walking African Girl

Name: Walking African Girl Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Pedigree (on the neck) Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black astrakhan wig/brown flirty eyes/red painted lips with two inserted upper teeth Clothes: Period-appropriate red circle-print dress, red Cinderella-marked sandals, gold-tone hoop earrings Other: During the 1950s and prior, Pedigree used very deepContinue reading “Walking African Girl”

African Baby

Name: African Baby Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material: Hard plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Pedigree (on the neck) Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black astrakhan wig/brown eyes/red painted open lips with two inserted upper teeth Clothes: Redressed as shown, has original gold-tone hoop earrings Other: The doll’s flirty eyes are now stationary. During the 1950sContinue reading “African Baby”

Celluloid Babies in Bunting

Name: Celluloid Babies in Bunting Made by and When: Unknown maker, made in Japan circa 1930s Material: Celluloid Marks: Japan (stamped on the back of the cardboard that is attached to bunting) Height: 5 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Molded/painted eyes and mouths Clothes: None Other: Dolls are inside their original white flannel bunting that is attached toContinue reading “Celluloid Babies in Bunting”

The Dolly Sisters

Name: The Dolly Sisters Made by and When: Unknown maker, made in Japan circa 1930s Material: Celluloid Marks: None Height: 4 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Sculpted hair with pastel ribbons on heads/painted eyes and mouths Clothes: Glued-on pastel suspender skirts made from ribbon, painted-on white socks and red shoes Other: The set includes five celluloid dolls. CelluloidContinue reading “The Dolly Sisters”

Leo Moss-Type Dolls

Name: Leo Moss-type dolls Made by and When: Betty Formaz, ca. 1984 Material: Porcelain heads and hands; brown knit stuffed bodies, arms, and legs Marks: None Height: 15 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouths: Sculpted curls, brown stationary eyes with teardrops on cheeks, parted lips with molded tongues Clothes: Dressed in matching red velour clothing original toContinue reading “Leo Moss-Type Dolls”

Russian Nesting Dolls

Name: Authentic 5-piece Russian Nesting Dolls Made by and When: Svetlana Lukina, 2019 Material: Wood Marks: Svetlana Lukina 2019 (handwritten on the lower back base of the tallest doll) Height: The tallest is 7 inches; the smallest is 2 inches. Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Hand-painted facial features, clothing, and scenes on the back Clothes: Hand painted Victorian-era clothingContinue reading “Russian Nesting Dolls”

Sleepy Baby

Name: Sleepy Baby Made by and When: Shackman, late 1950s to early-1960s Material: Stuffed stocking face and hands; cloth body, arms, and legs Marks: Unmarked Height: 6-1/2 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Dark brown bangs (a red cap covers the rest of the head)/stitched closed eyes and stitched mouth with a red circle painted over the stitching. Clothes:Continue reading “Sleepy Baby”

Black Artist Dolls Video Presentation

In July 2019, doll enthusiast, Deborah Butler Johnson, conducted a comprehensive live presentation on Black artist dolls at the 2019 United Federation of Doll Clubs Convention. The live presentation was recorded. It was so well received that the video was aired during the 2020 Virtual UFDC convention held in July 2020. Click or tap theContinue reading “Black Artist Dolls Video Presentation”

Mini Baby with Doll

Name: OOAK Polymer Clay Mini Baby with Doll Made by and When: Teresa Churcher, 2010 Material: Polymer clay head, arms, and legs; white cloth body; doll baby is made of polymer clay Marks: None Height: 7 inches and 3 inches Hair/Eyes: Glued-on synthetic black hair, black inset eyes; doll baby has molded-on polymer clay bonnet,Continue reading “Mini Baby with Doll”