Antique to Vintage Black Dolls 1890s+
From antique, vintage to modern most all doll makers around the world included at least one or more black dolls, often making a black or white version of the same doll. Only a small handful of companies in the USA come to mind, that were black owned and specialized in creating black dolls commercially and are listed below. Many home hobbyist and artists around the world have made beautiful black dolls out of many different types of materials.
Some types of black dolls commonly found are Topsy with her three tufts of hair or braids, Topsy-Turvey cloth dolls where one doll is black and flip it over the other doll is white, both types of dolls are usually unmarked. Black dolls can be found as adults male or female, babies and children. (click on images to see full sized)
Some USA doll makers that exclusively sold or made black dolls
1900s+ Leo Moss made papier mache black dolls often with a tear on the cheek, some dolls mark L.M.
1909-1915 National Negro Doll Company composition black dolls (see video below)
1913-1917 E.M.S. Novelty Company sold imported black dolls endorsed by leading clergymen and educators
1917-1919 Otis H. Gadsen Company sold beautiful black bisque dolls for black children
1914+ J. Griffith Art Company gave black dolls as a premium for selling their beautiful post cards
1915+ Allied Grand Manufacturing Co. specialized in making composition black dolls
1935-1940s Lu Jon Sun Tan Colored Doll Co. made Patsy type black dolls with twist waists
1968-1980s Shindana Dolls & Toys made plastic or vinyl dolls of all ethnicity’s
1981-1989 Keisha Doll Company made black plastic & vinyl dolls
Stories from The Black Doll Museum by DoubleACS
Reference suggestions for books about Black dolls:
- Black Dolls I an Identification and Value Guide 1820-1991 by author Myla Perkins
- Black Dolls II an Identification and Value Guide 1892-1991 by author Myla Perkins