Category Archives: vintage black dolls

Swiss-made Papier-mâché and Cloth Doll

Name: Swiss-made Papier-mâché and Cloth Doll Made by and When: Hanna Furher, 1950s Material: Papier-mâché sculpted face; cloth body, arms, and legs; animal hair, leather Marks: Hanna Furher / Zürich (written on the sole of each shoe) Height: 19 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Long brown straight hair attached to a hide, painted brown eyes, closedContinue reading “Swiss-made Papier-mâché and Cloth Doll”

Kader Baby

Name: Kader Baby Made by and When: Kader, 1950s-1960s Material: Hard plastic head, vinyl body with jointed wrists Marks: 20 ½ B.H. (on the head); embossed OK symbol (the initials OK inside a globe) / B 3520 / KADER / MADE IN HONG KONG Height: 21 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black sculpted hair with aContinue reading “Kader Baby”

Betty and Billy Paper Dolls

Name: Betty and Billy Paper Doll Book Published by and When: Whitman Publishing Company, 1955 Sizes: Betty is 9 inches; Billy is 9-1/2 inches. The paper doll book measures 10 x 12 inches (width x length). Description: Betty and Billy cut-out paper dolls illustrated on the cover of paper doll book #2129 by Whitman representContinue reading “Betty and Billy Paper Dolls”

Torchy’s Togs Paper Doll

Name: Torchy’s Togs Paper Doll Illustrated By: Jackie Ormes Published By and When: Pittsburgh Courier, March 3, 1951 Sizes: The paper doll, Torchy, is 4 inches. The panel measures 5-1/4 x 8 inches. Description: Torchy and four high-end fashions with a description for each are included on this panel. Torchy’s caption reads, “Here we go,Continue reading “Torchy’s Togs Paper Doll”

Calypso Bill and Calypso Jill

Name: Calypso Bill and Calypso Jill Made by and When: Dee an Cee Company, circa 1960 Material: Soft vinyl heads, rigid vinyl bodies Marks: DEE CEE (on the heads) Height: 15 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Calypso Bill has texturized, sculpted, and painted black hair. Calypso Jill’s texturized, painted black sculpted hair is styled in twoContinue reading “Calypso Bill and Calypso Jill”

Pete and Polly

Name: Pete and Polly Made by and When: Horsman, 1957 Material: Stuffed vinyl with jointed heads and one-piece vinyl bodies. Polly’s legs are wired for posing; Pete’s are not. Marks: No visible marks Height: 13 and 12 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Pete has texturized sculpted and painted black hair. Polly’s texturized, sculpted black hair isContinue reading “Pete and Polly”

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 and Plastic Marks: Mobley/Arrow Boy: 16 (within a square on the head); THE EDWARD MOBLEY CO. 1962 / 11 within a square / MadeContinue reading “1950s and 1960s Squeak Toy Dolls”

Carol or Rita Walker

Name: Carol or Rita Made by and When: Paris Doll Corp, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: This doll was issued with a hang tag that contained the company’s name and the doll’s name; the hang tag is missing. Height: 25 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black saran wig styled in two side braids with the originalContinue reading “Carol or Rita Walker”

Knee-Joint Head-Turning Walker

Name: Knee-Joint Head-Turning Walker Made by and When: (Attributed to) Rosebud, mid-1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Made in England (on the back) Height: 17 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Replaced dark brown wig (original black hair is a thin, short left-side-parted black wig), blue-gray sleep eyes with molded lashes attached to eyelids, painted lower eyelashes; closedContinue reading “Knee-Joint Head-Turning Walker”

1950s Head-Turning Walker

Name: 1950s Head-Turning Walker Made by and When: Unknown maker, 1950s Material: Soft vinyl face, hard plastic body with pin-jointed legs and a ma-ma crier Marks: M/20 Height: 22-1/2 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The auburn saran wig is styled in two side plaits with bangs. The eyes are brown sleep eyes with black bristle upperContinue reading “1950s Head-Turning Walker”