Category Archives: vintage black dolls

Tuesday

Name: Tuesday Made by and When: Gladys MacDowell,1950s Material: Wax with brown cloth body Marks: The doll on the far left is hand marked: Tuesday = Gladys MacD./Tuesday #1. To-/Marie Mae Schwarz/By/Gladys MacDowell Height: 15-1/2 to 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Dark brown and lighter brown mohair styled in several plaits with yellow thread at the ends/brownContinue reading “Tuesday”

Cynthia

Name: Cynthia Made by and When: Madame Alexander, 1952 Material: Hard plastic Marks: 23-inch doll (marked with an A on the head); 18-inch doll (Alexander on head); 15-inch doll (unmarked) Height: 23, 18, and 15 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black wigs/brown sleep eyes with eyelashes,/closed mouths painted in variations of red and pink. Clothes: The dolls wereContinue reading “Cynthia”

Pedigree-Type Walkers

Name: Head-Turning Pedigree-Type Walkers Made by and When: Possibly made by Lines Brothers (Joy Toys Ltd), 1950s Material: Hard plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Made in NZ Height: 21-1/2 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black astrakhan wigs/dark gray flirty eyes (boy)*, brown flirty eyes (girl)/closed mouths with slightly exaggerated red-painted lips Clothes: Redressed in period-appropriate clothes and shoes Other:Continue reading “Pedigree-Type Walkers”

Jackie Robinson

Name: Jackie Robinson Made by and When: Allied Grand Doll Manufacturing Company, Inc., 1950 Material: Composition Marks: Unmarked Height: 13 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black molded hair/black side-glancing eyes/open-closed mouth with painted teeth. Clothes: White flannel Dodgers uniform with flannel belt, blue knit socks, black lace-up shoes (original); has replaced cap, baseball and bat.   Other: DodgersContinue reading “Jackie Robinson”

Saralee Negro Doll

Name: Saralee Negro Doll Made by and When: Ideal Toy Corporation, 1951 Material: Vinyl with brown cloth body Marks: Ideal Dolls (on head) Height: 17 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Sculpted black curls, brown sleep eyes with eyelashes/open-closed mouth with a molded tongue Clothes: Light blue organdy Ideal-tagged dress, white socks, off-white shoes, replaced blue bonnet; the dollContinue reading “Saralee Negro Doll”

Saralee’s Sister

Name: Saralee’s Sister Made by and When: Ideal, circa 1952 Material: Vinyl Marks: Ideal Doll/CS17 (on the head); Ideal Doll/P17/o (on the back) Height: 17 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Sculpted black curls with a widow’s peak/ brown sleep eyes with eyelashes, open mouth with molded tongue, painted red lips Clothes: Redressed as illustrated Other: Saralee’s sister isContinue reading “Saralee’s Sister”

MarFan Bonnie Lou

Photographs courtesy of Karen Kilburn Name: MarFan Bonnie Lou Made by and When: Terri Lee, late-1950s Material: Hard Plastic Marks: Terri Lee Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black wig/basic painted facial features are not as elaborate as earlier Terri Lee dolls/closed mouth painted red Clothes: All original in a light blue cotton-print dress that ties inContinue reading “MarFan Bonnie Lou”

Benji

Photographs courtesy of Karen Kilburn Name: Benji Made by and When: Terri Lee, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Terri Lee Patent Pending Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black fur wig/painted facial features/closed mouth with painted red lips Clothes: White button-down shirt with pointed collar, red suspender pants, white socks, black shoes; Benji is missing his redContinue reading “Benji”

Bonnie Lou, Benji, and So-Sleepy

Photographs courtesy of Karen Kilburn Name: Bonnie Lou and Benji with Reproduction So-Sleepy Made by and When: Terri Lee, 1950s and circa 1990s Material: Hard plastic (Bonnie Lou and Benji); vinyl and cloth (So-Sleepy) Marks: Terri Lee Patent Pending (Bonnie Lou and Benji) Height: Bonnie Lou and Benji are 16 inches tall; So Sleepy isContinue reading “Bonnie Lou, Benji, and So-Sleepy”