Alabama Indestructible Dolls – Ella Smith ca. 1899+

The Ella Gauntt Smith Doll Company produced the Alabama Indestructible dolls, also referred to as  Alabama Baby dolls or Ella Smith dolls, began making her cloth dolls around 1899. Mrs. Smith was issued her first doll patent in 1905 and made the dolls until 1925 when the factory was closed in Roanoke, Alabama.  The all cloth dolls are 8 to 36″ tall, have a molded face with oil painted hair and facial features. 

Early dolls have applied ears, painted hair, a sturdy body with tabbed jointed shoulders and hips, flat buttocks, most dolls have painted stockings and black, bright blue, brown or pink painted shoes.

A few early dolls have been found with bare feet and stitched toes and some dolls have a wig.  Later dolls the ears were molded or stapled to the head and some dolls have been found with a bobbed hair style.  

Alabama Indestructible dolls can be black or white, babies or children of either boys or girls.