Category Archives: vintage black dolls

Cosmopolitan Ginger

Photographs courtesy of Karen Kilburn Name: Ginger Made by and When: Cosmopolitan, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Unmarked Height: 8 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black wig styled in a short flip with bangs/amber-colored sleep eyes/closed mouth with painted red lips Clothes: All original red plaid dress, red straw hat, white socks, red vinyl Mary-Jane-style shoes, red vinylContinue reading “Cosmopolitan Ginger”

Toto (Little Brown Koko-type)

Name: Toto (Little Brown Koko-type) Made by and When: Handcraft Dolls, circa 1940s Material: Cloth Marks: Paper tag attached to right foot reads: Toto and Bum (Bum was probably his cloth dog) Height: 16 inches Hair/Face: Loops of black yarn, embroidered facial features with red circle mouth Clothes: Wears blue gingham shirt, blue short suspenderContinue reading “Toto (Little Brown Koko-type)”

Amosandra by Sun Rubber

Amosandra was an advertising and play doll named after the baby born to Amos and Ruby on the Amos ‘n’ Andy Show radio broadcast episode, “Amosandra is Born.” #Amosandra #Ruthenewton #sunrubberdoll #Amosnandyshow

Tiny Tears Lookalike

Name: Tiny Tears Lookalike from England Made by and When: Unknown maker, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Unmarked Height: 12 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black Astrakhan wig/amber sleep eyes/closed mouth Clothes: Redressed in pink knit dress, bonnet, and pants with enclosed feet _________ Your comments are valued. Donations aid the initiative to preserve Black-doll history.  If you subscribeContinue reading “Tiny Tears Lookalike”

Rosebud Baby

Name: Baby Doll Made by and When: Rosebud, mid-1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Rosebud Made in England (on neck) Height: 11 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Sculpted black hair combed to the doll’s right side/amber sleep eyes with brown specks/red closed mouth Clothes: Original floral-print cotton dress with matching panties, Cinderella-marked blue vinyl Mary-Jane-style shoes _________ Your commentsContinue reading “Rosebud Baby”

Martha Chase Stockinette Boy

Name: Martha Chase Boy Made by and When: Martha Chase, circa 1940s-1950s Material: Stockinette (stuffed vinyl material for the body arms and legs; the head uses stockinette over a mold). Marks: None; these dolls had paper labels on their bodies which usually fall off. Height: 14 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Painted black hair/painted brown eyes/closed mouth Clothes:Continue reading “Martha Chase Stockinette Boy”

Walking African Girl

Name: Walking African Girl Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material: Hard plastic Marks: Pedigree (on the neck) Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black astrakhan wig/brown flirty eyes/red painted lips with two inserted upper teeth Clothes: Period-appropriate red circle-print dress, red Cinderella-marked sandals, gold-tone hoop earrings Other: During the 1950s and prior, Pedigree used very deepContinue reading “Walking African Girl”

African Baby

Name: African Baby Made by and When: Pedigree, 1950s Material: Hard plastic (cellulose acetate) Marks: Pedigree (on the neck) Height: 16 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black astrakhan wig/brown eyes/red painted open lips with two inserted upper teeth Clothes: Redressed as shown, has original gold-tone hoop earrings Other: The doll’s flirty eyes are now stationary. During the 1950sContinue reading “African Baby”

Sleepy Baby

Name: Sleepy Baby Made by and When: Shackman, late 1950s to early-1960s Material: Stuffed stocking face and hands; cloth body, arms, and legs Marks: Unmarked Height: 6-1/2 inches Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Dark brown bangs (a red cap covers the rest of the head)/stitched closed eyes and stitched mouth with a red circle painted over the stitching. Clothes:Continue reading “Sleepy Baby”

Darling Debbie

Name: Darling Debbie Made by and When: Deluxe Reading, ca. 1958 Material: Stuffed vinyl Marks: 101 (on upper back) Height: 30 inches Hair/Eyes: Black rooted bubble cut, brown sleep eyes Clothes: Redressed in custom-made dress, shoes, and jewelry Other: Sold in grocery stores during the 1950s and 1960s, “some were dressed as bridesmaids in blue,Continue reading “Darling Debbie”