Category Archives: vintage black 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: 28 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”

Roddy Walking Doll

Name: Walking Doll Made by and When: Roddy, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Roddy/Made in England (on the back) Height: 13 inches Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black mohair wig styled in two braids with bangs (extra mohair has been added to each braid); amber sleep eyes have attached bristle eyelashes, smiling open mouth with two upperContinue reading “Roddy Walking Doll”

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”