Posted 10 years ago
Vrgdc
(25 items)
Here are a few Black Americana Folk Art Walnut Head Dolls. The pair of walnut head dolls shown together are of the same maker, and they are about 9 inches tall. The pictures with a single doll is also a walnut head doll that stands about 12 inches tall. These dolls are sturdier than they look. They were made very well.
If anyone has information that they would like to share about these dolls I would be interested to learn about them. Thanks
Very nice examples of " Nut Head dolls " some were made from walnut. chestnuts and others . Yours look like maybe the work of Loveleigh Novelties, Grantville, GA. I am lovin' the Preacher :-) I would date 1930-40s . Thanks for sharing them :-)
Here is some online info on her dolls maybe you can see if yours fit the description of her work .
The fabulous Loveleigh Novelty dolls were made in Grantville, GA by Itura Rosalein Colley Leigh, better known as Miss Love (hence Love-Leigh). She started making dolls in 1924 and made them until 1954-56...the last ones were not painted by her, and the difference is noticeable.
The heads are English walnuts with great hand painted faces. The bodies have wire armatures wrapped with cloth and/or crepe paper. The earliest dolls can be identified by the dark red paint around the eyes...this was dropped in later dolls. Their legs and feet are always the same...flat wire that has been covered with crepe paper and painted. Hands are black felt with separate cut fingers. Fabrics and trims were gathered by friends and neighbors...sometimes just little snippets. She used odds and ends from her home in making the dolls...nothing was wasted! Petticoats and pantaloons on the ladies are always the same...off-white muslin with plain wide hems...no trims.
These character dolls depicted black life as she saw it in her town, presenting a dignified portrait of black people, not the usual caricatures. The first doll introduced to the public was "Old Black Joe", a cotton picker. He was followed by "Aunt Lucy" and then came "Mammy's Angel Child"...she was also known as "Topsy." Many other dolls followed including, the Preacher and his Wife, a young woman with an aspirin tin suitcase called Traveling Annie, a coach driver with a whip, a fishing boy, Banjo Players and the Little Watermelon Boy...one of the rarest is "Scarlet's Mammy" with her red petticoat showing.
WOW! Manikin, thanks for all of this great info!
Your welcome I hope it helped you out :-)
Yes it did and I thank you.
Manikin, Wonderful information, its a pleasure to read your comments. Just wish I had some dolls.
Thank you Pease . They can be delightful and there is no end to near millions of different ones to pick from :-)