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| Dasia by Big Beautiful Dolls, Inc., 2000; designed by Audrey Bell and Georgette Taylor, is from the first line of full-figured 12-inch fashion dolls. The above image is from my first book, The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls. |
My memory is fuzzy on how I initially met Georgette Taylor, Vice-President and Co-Founder of Big Beautiful Dolls, Inc., but it is clear that her Dasia doll, shown above, is what brought us together over a dozen years ago.
The text from the image above provides Dasia's attributes.
Dasia - Big Beautiful Dolls, Inc., 2000, is from the first line of 12in (30.48cm) full-figured fashion dolls created by two AA female entrepreneurs, Audrey Bell and Georgette Taylor. Dasia wears a black velour evening gown accented by a sheer black nylon wrap trimmed with black marabou feathers; black nylon hose and black faux leather high-heel shoes, iridescent ear studs and matching necklace. Black rooted hair is styled in an upswept style; painted brown eyes. Dasia was nominated for the 2002 Dolls Award of Excellence.
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| Except for complexion, Dawn (Caucasian) and Dena (Latina) share the same head sculpt and body as Dasia -- Photograph courtesy of Georgette Taylor. |
Part of a trio, the other dolls in the Big and Beautiful Dolls, Inc.
line were Dawn (Caucasian) and Dena (Latina). As the first full-figured
12-inch dolls, Dasia and companions offered a more realistic representation of most adult female bodies.
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| Silkstone Barbie (right) is giving Dasia some serious side eye. |
After featuring Dasia in the fashion doll chapter of my first book,
The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls (2003), Georgette and I participated in or attended doll events at the African American Museum in Dallas and met up again at the Modern Doll Collectors Convention held here in June 2004. Several years ago, she invited me to do a doll display and discussion at a local library where she was program director. Photos (low residue from a decade ago) taken at some of these events we attended and/or participated in are shown below:
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| Georgette Taylor and I were at the African American Museum, March 2004, Dallas, Texas for Tea at Three, "Black Doll History" lecture by Barbara Whiteman, curator Philadelphia Doll Museum |
Most of our communication prior to March 2004 had been by email. Georgette and I met in person for the first time at Barbara Whiteman's "Black Doll History" lecture at the African American Museum on March 18, 2004. Whiteman conducted a slideshow presentation and also discussed a few physical dolls. Dasia was one of these. About Dasia, Whiteman
commented, "...this doll broke the stereotypical thin-fashion doll mold and is a better representation of the female population."
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| Georgette Taylor displays her Big Beautiful Dolls at the Sugar 'N Spice Final Fling at the African American Museum, August 28, 2004. |
Dasia brought us together again in August 2004 at the Sugar 'N Spice Final Fling at the African American Museum. This "fling" was the conclusion of a several-month traveling exhibit of dolls from the collection of
Regenia Perry, Ph.D., an art historian and African American folk art collector. Georgette and I both had a doll display prior to a round table discussion that we participated in with Dr. Perry and
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is also a doll collector.
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| Closer look at Taylor's display at the AA Museum in August 2004 |
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| Round Table Doll Discussion at AA Museum, August 28, 2004, with panel members L-R: Commissioner John Wiley Price with what he identified as his "Daddy Long Legs doll by Mattel"; me with Ideal's 1951 Saralee, Dr. Regenia Perry, and Georgette Taylor with Dasia. |
During the time I was actively exhibiting dolls throughout the city, Dasia usually accompanied me. She has been featured in my "Evolution of Black Dolls From Mammies to Models" exhibit and in others.
Bell and Taylor's dolls Dasia, Dawn, and Dena made history as the first of a kind in their category and scale. For additional information about Big Beautiful Dolls, Inc., and more images of Dena and Dawn, read
Roville's Blog post dated April 28, 2012.
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My recent reconnection with Georgette Taylor, is what prompted this post. As a result,Taylor will be featured on this blog soon to share some exciting news. So please stay tuned!
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Update 12/28/2015
The co-founder of Big Beautiful Dolls, Inc., Georgette Taylor, will bring the head sculpt and full-figure body style the BBDs back to the market under the newly formed company:
I Am Beautiful Doll Company. The first doll's name is Nikia. For additional information, visit their
website.
Georgette Taylor is currently taking preorders for new nude dolls of the original Dasia, Dena, and Dawn. For more information and/or to preorder, follow the link:
http://iambeautifuldollcompany.weebly.com/nude-dolls-avail.html
