Name: African Man Made by and When: Possibly German, late-1800s to early-1900s Material: Form of papier-mâché or plaster composition, jointed at shoulders and hips Marks: None Height: 9 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The hair is Astrakhan or mohair with a curly nap; brown eyes and mouth are painted. Clothes: Original fur strip around the hips;Continue reading “African Man”
Category Archives: antique black dolls
Haitian or Jamaican Souvenir Dolls
(Photos and information are courtesy of a museum benefactor.) Name: Caribbean Dolls of Haitian or Jamaican Origin Made by and When: Exact source unknown, but handmade for the Caribbean tourist trade, likely between the world wars Material: Wood Marks: None Height: 9 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: While there are no wigs, the three women haveContinue reading “Haitian or Jamaican Souvenir Dolls”
SFBJ Unis France Doll
Name: SFBJ Unis France Doll Made by and When: Societe Francaise de Fabrication de Bebes et Jouets (SFBJ) of Unis France, circa 1910 Material: Bisque and composition Marks: Unis France 60 (on head) Height: 8-1/2 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black mohair wig/black glass stationary eyes/open mouth with four teeth and red lip color Clothes: Multicolored, sewn-on island-styleContinue reading “SFBJ Unis France Doll”
1940s Mask Face Cloth Doll
Name: Mask Face Cloth Doll Made by and When: Unknown maker, circa 1940s Material: Stuffed black twill for the face and black cotton for the limbs and body; the material under the face is firm, possibly made of plastic. Marks: Unmarked Height: 11 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black plush material, black painted eye’s glance toContinue reading “1940s Mask Face Cloth Doll”
Antique Sock Doll
Name: Sock Doll Made by and When: Unknown, pre-1940s Material: Black cotton sock, stuffing, embroidery thread Marks: None Height: 13 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: No hair; white embroidery thread creates almond-shaped eyes; two dots of red embroidery thread create the nose, and red embroidery thread forms the outline of an open mouth. Clothes: Black cottonContinue reading “Antique Sock Doll”
Boudoir Souvenir Doll Miss Haiti
Name: Boudoir Souvenir Doll Miss Haiti Made by and When: Unknown, ca 1940s Material: Heavy celluloid head and breast plate; straw-stuffed body, arms, and legs with a mature bosom Marks: Unmarked Height: 30 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Sculpted black hair/painted black irises with a brown dot that highlights each pupil/closed red lips Clothes: Sewn-on island-style, full-length yellow/gold/green/orange-printContinue reading “Boudoir Souvenir Doll Miss Haiti”
Jitterbug Lou
Name: Jitterbug Lou Made by and When: Blossom Doll Company, circa 1930s Material: Cloth, yarn Marks: The front of the original tag reads, “This doll combines artistic styling and finest workmanship. A Blossom Doll Creation.” The back of the tag reads, “My Name Is Jitterbug Lou.” (Jitterbug Lou is stamped diagonally underneath “My Name Is”)Continue reading “Jitterbug Lou”
Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman
Photographs courtesy of B. W. Flowers Name: Folk Art Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman Made by and When: Rosa Wilder Blackman, 1941 to approximately 1951 Material: 1st Generation dolls have molded clay heads, hands and shoes; padded cloth bodies over a wire armature. Cloth was used for the hands and shoes of later generationContinue reading “Character Dolls by Rosa Wilder Blackman”
Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls
Name: Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls – A Communicator for the Past and Present Description: Sneha Sureshkumar was a 10th grader at the time she conducted extensive research for the documentary “Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls.” Her research and the resulting documentary were part of her state’sContinue reading “Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls”
Antique Art Dolls by Jumeau
This video, published on YouTube on June 15, 2018, to celebrate World Doll Day, explores the antique art dolls by Jumeau. A diverse range of dolls representing people from Africa and other countries is included. Jumeau was a French doll company that designed dolls dating back to the 1840s. Enjoy. If you subscribe to DeeBeeGee’sContinue reading “Antique Art Dolls by Jumeau”
