Costume doll
Category
Dolls
Date
Unknown
Materials
Celluloid, Feather, Grass, Textile
Measurements
300 mm (H)
Order this imageCollection
Penrhyn Castle, Gwynedd
NT 277404
Summary
A celluloid souvenir or costume doll representing a Maori woman carrying a baby on her back. The doll has painted lips and moko kauae (chin tattoo) with dark fixed eyes and dark wig. The celluloid has degraded to a dark green. Dressed in grass skirt and cloak made of feathers, baby on back. Costume dolls representing people of different nationalities in their local dress have been made since the mid-19th century. As global travel expanded ‘world’ dolls were produced as tourist souvenirs as well as children’s toys. They appear in a variety of media, from paper to porcelain, polymer to plastic. Produced to be instantly recognisable and collectible, ‘world’ dolls can portray a stereotypical view of peoples and cultural identities.