Mask Face Dolls or Animals 1920s+

Mask face dolls or mask faced animals are a type of cloth doll (or animal) with a partial mask front face over a rigid material like celluloid, composition or hard plastic, attached to the front of the cloth head, all with painted facial features and a cloth stuffed body.

Mask face dolls or plush animals may be marked with a cloth label sewn into a body seam, stamped or a paper label on the foot and many items are unmarked, which is why they often cannot be identified with certainty, so collectors use the term “mask face” to identify them as this “type” of doll.

Mask face animals usually have a one piece body in a colorful cloth fabric or plush fur with non-jointed stem like limbs.  Mask faced dolls often have a stationary socket head, some with a fringe of yarn hair framing the face, on a cloth body with stitched shoulders and hips for movement. 

Mask face dolls or animals were made in many different countries around the world, a few doll manufacturer names that come to mind are;  Alexander, Averill, Charles Bloom, Deans Rag Book, Ralph A. Freundlich, Horsman, Ideal, Junel Novelty, Knickerbocker, Richard G. Krueger, Martha Lehmann Muschi dolls, Molly-es, Charles Reese, Rushton, Samet and Wells Company, Silk Novelty Corp.,  A. D. Sutton & Sons, Celluloid Toy Factory Adam Szrajer of Kalisz, Poland and P. R. Zast of Poland plus many others and Norah Wellings.