Black Doll Collecting

Monday, August 17, 2020

Jackie Robinson a Doll for Democracy

1973-1974 B'nai B'rith Doll Ladies and Girl Scouts are seen with a group of Dolls for Democracy that includes the Jackie Robinson doll by Ruth Cecil Bullard Weeks. Photograph courtesy of the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego.

During the 1950s through the 1970s, the B'nai B'rith Women (now known as Jewish Women International) used a series of dolls in private and parochial schools to teach diversity. The dolls represented a diverse group of noted humanitarians. Most were made by Ruth Cecil Bullard Weeks, noted doll artist and B'nai B'rith member. Usually, each group contained 38 dolls. The women who used the dolls to teach diversity were known as "doll ladies."

Known African American dolls in the series are Marian Anderson, Ralph Bunche, George Washington Carver, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jackie Robinson (shown above and in several pictures below).

Sculpted of clay with cloth bodies and legs with wire armature, Marian Anderson and George Washington Carver appear to be the easiest-to-locate African American figures in this collection with Ralph Bunche, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jackie Robinson being harder to find.

According to the Breman Organization archives, "One set was sent to Atlanta where they were used by the local chapter of B’nai B’rith Women to teach diversity and democratic values at local clubs, scout meetings and church and synagogue groups." Their collection includes 17 historical figures that represent diversity and democratic values. The Jackie Robinson doll/figure, the subject of this post, is not included in their collection.

Of all the collections I have seen online since acquiring Marian Anderson in 2015, which prompted research on the collections, I have rarely seen the Jackie Robinson doll with the Ralph Bunche doll being the most elusive.

The Jackie Robinson doll is included in the Dolls for Democracy Collection owned by the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego. Two photos from their collection are shown below.

Jackie Robinson Doll for Democracy is seen in the background in this photo and the next which were courtesy of the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego.

Photograph courtesy of the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego.

Recently, I was contacted by Mr. G. Honcharuk, a fortunate owner of a Jackie Robinson doll, who shared several pictures and allowed me to share the pictures here of this elusive "Doll for Democracy."

Jackie Robinson is approximately 10 inches tall and is dressed in a replica of the Dodgers baseball uniform he wore when he broke the color barrier as the first African American Major League Baseball player in the 1940s.

Here is a somewhat closer look at Robinson's face.

The Jackie Robinson doll holds a baseball in the right hand.

The doll/figure is permanently attached to a wooden base.

A paper label is attached to the bottom of the base with "Jackie Robinson" handwritten at the top and the artist's street address handwritten below the printed words, "Entirely Hand Made/By/Cecil Weeks/INDEPENDENCE, MO."

The Jackie Robinson doll appears in this final photo courtesy of G. Honcharuk.

Thank you again, Mr. Honcharuk, for permission to use photos of your Jackie Robinson Doll for Democracy. Additionally, I would like to thank the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego for sharing the noted photos from their collection.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Selma DuPar James

Selma DuPar James Barbie

Released on 07/20/17, Selma DuPar James is the third and final doll in the Harlem Theater Collection. Claudette Gordon is the first doll in the series. Madame Lavinia is the second doll in the series. Designed by Carlyle Nuera, this Gold Label doll introduced the SELMA sculpt.

This is the cover of the doll's box. Underneath is a removable cellophane lid.

The box cover (1st photo), the text on the box bottom (2nd photo), and the text from the back of the doll's box are illustrated above.

As the back of the box indicates:

The bold Harlem Theatre Collection represents the courageous women of an era who paved the way for future generations to freely and creatively express themselves. During the Harlem Renaissance era, patrons of the arts like Madam Lavinia would often commission artists to showcase their latest work. Up-and-coming artist Selma DuPar James, was selected to hold her first solo exhibition in the Harlem Theater salon. Her piece is a beautiful portrait of jazz singer Claudette Gordon.

The cellophane lid has been removed to prevent glare from the camera's flash. The doll's box nests inside the box cover. The removable cellophane cover protects the doll from dust when displayed with the cover on, as seen in the first picture.

Selma DuPar James retailed for $85. At the time of my June 2020 purchase, Amazon listed Selma for $39.99 with free PRIME shipping for PRIME members. In the midst of my pandemic doll buying, I could not resist the price.

When this doll was released, I did not find her at all appealing. It is obvious to me now that her prototype pictures concealed her true beauty. I love her, especially her luscious lips!

Selma's black hair is permanently styled in a bob hairstyle with a glaze that stiffens the hair. She has brown painted eyes and full lips that are painted a deep burgundy.

Selma wears a full-length deep mauve fishtail gown accessorized with a pearl necklace with pendant, white elbow-length gloves, and silver shoes. Her body is articulated.

Her silver high heels are shown in this photo.

This is the portrait Selma "painted" of the lovely Claudette Gordon.

Her accessories include a plastic framed painting of Claudette Gordon (shown above), a doll stand, and a certificate of authenticity shown next.

The certificate of authenticity is attached to the back of the box liner.

In the following final photograph, Selma poses with Fancy Flowers Fashionista #20 Barbie for a complexion comparison.

There is just a slight difference in their deep brown complexions.

I did not buy Madame Lavinia, but I did buy Claudette Gordon in 2015 when that doll was released.

Monday, August 10, 2020

Naziah The Bride and her Groom

The Groom and Naziah the Bride, catalog numbers 922M and 922, respectively were made by the Keisha Doll Company ©1983. According to Myla Perkins's book, Black Dolls an Identification and Value Guide 1820 to 1991, Bridesmaid Minon style #806 was also made. The book does not include a picture of the bridesmaid.

This pair arrived in late May and gives me a total of seven different Keisha Doll Company Dolls. Four can be seen here and a fifth can be seen here.

With each Keisha purchase, I always say it will be my last. Because this purchase included a boy, I had to have the pair. Both are in near pristine condition.

The boy uses a different head sculpt than Naziah, which is another reason I needed this pair. (There's always a good reason to add another doll to a collection, right?)

Both dolls are 23 inches tall, all-vinyl, and have brown sleep eyes. The boy's head is unmarked. The girl's head is marked:
KEISHA II
©H.J.S. 1983
008695

H.J.S. are the initials of Helen J. Steward, the founder of the Keisha Doll Company.

Both dolls' bodies bear the same markings as Naziah's head markings.

Both dolls have rooted hair.

The groom's hair is black. Naziah, which means "companion, friend," has multiple brown rooted braids with four off-white beads added to the braids that frame her face.

The groom wears a white gabardine tuxedo with a white sleeveless, lace-front shirt; a white bowtie, and cummerbund. Naziah wears a full-length white lace dress that has an attached white satin skirt underneath.

Naziah's shoes

Naziah wears white satin undies over white lace stockings with formerly white, now yellowed satin slippers.

The groom's shoes

The groom wears white socks with his white mock lace-up shoes.

Provenance, etc: The seller's mother, who was a doll collector, bequeathed over 400 dolls to her, many of which had been purchased in duplicate. I had seen this Keisha Doll Company pair on eBay for months but was not willing to pay the original asking price. After seeing the seller's Darling Debbie listing, I communicated my desire to own the Keisha pair as well as Darling Debbie. The seller graciously offered a better price for the three dolls and, as indicated in Darling Debbie's post, because she lives locally, she offered and did deliver the dolls to my home free of charge. We both wore masks.

Will seven Keisha Doll Company dolls be enough for me?

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Related Links:
Ashanti Keisha Joins Cleopatra Keisha
Cleopatra B Keisha Joins Ashanti and Cleopatra A Keisha
Who Mails a Doll in an Envelope?
Keisha #5 For Me

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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