Category Archives: vintage black dolls

Pedigree Saucy Walker

Name: Saucy Walker Made by and When: Pedigree, circa 1955 Material: Hard plastic Marks: Pedigree (on the back of the neck), Pedigree / MADE IN / ENGLAND (on the upper back above the ma-ma voice box, which is marked 20T). Height: 20 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Replaced brown acrylic wig, brown open-close, flirty eyes; openContinue reading “Pedigree Saucy Walker”

Saucy Walker Look-a-likes

Name: Saucy Walker Look-a-likes Made by and When: Unknown maker, circa 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Unmarked Height: 22 inches each Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The doll in green has a black mohair wig styled in two side braids with bangs. The doll in light blue has a replaced short black straight human-hair wig underneath theContinue reading “Saucy Walker Look-a-likes”

Ikoku Fertility Dolls

(Photographs and information are courtesy of a museum benefactor.) Name:  Ikoku Fertility Dolls (Ngide) from the Turkana people of Northwestern Kenya Made by and When:  Regional handicraft for the tourist trade in Kenya; date unknown Material:  Unjointed carved wood figures with leather and bead work Marks:  None Height:  17- and 14 inches, respectively Hair, Eyes,Continue reading “Ikoku Fertility Dolls”

Pedigree Head-Turning Walker

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name: Unknown (looks similar to Pedigree’s Mandy Lou) Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material:  Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Voice Box in back is marked 20 T. Height: 20 inches tall Hair/Eyes/Mouth:  Black short astrakhan wigContinue reading “Pedigree Head-Turning Walker”

Mandy Lou

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name:  Mandy Lou Made by and When: Pedigree, 1955 Material: Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Voice box in the back is marked 20 T. Height: 22 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black short astrakhan wig/flirty sleep eyes with attached eyelashes/slightlyContinue reading “Mandy Lou”

Pedigree Delite Negro Girl

Photographs courtesy of Betty Ativie Name: Delite Negro Girl Made by and When: Pedigree/1950s Material:  Hard Plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Neck is marked Pedigree England.              Back is marked Made in England.              Speaker in the back is marked 16 T. Height:  16 inches tall Hair/Eyes/Mouth:  Black short astrakhan wig/flirty sleep eyes with attached eyelashes/closedContinue reading “Pedigree Delite Negro Girl”

Black Dolls Journey Through Time With Denise Bond

This is a still shot from the video: Black Dolls a Journey Through Time exhibit that was held in September 2018.

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”