Costume doll
Arrow Novelty Co. (fl.1920-1950)
Category
Dolls
Date
Unknown
Materials
Composition doll
Measurements
395 mm (height)
Place of origin
East 16th Street, 105
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 669933
Summary
A doll representing a Native American mother and child, made by the Arrow Novelty Co (1914-62), New York, USA, c. 1918-24. The doll with composition head and moulded and painted facial features, a stuffed body and wooden legs. The doll's hair is plaited, the braids fastened with turquoise beads. The doll wears metal earrings, a pink floral shirt, a flannel blanket printed with a yellow, grey, green and brown geometric pattern, wrapped around the body. Underneath is a read and white cotton skirt and blue flannel petticoat. The wooden feet with chamois leather boots painted with a floral design. A baby doll is tucked beneath the blanket, the baby with a composition head, moulded and painted facial features, black net hair and a leather bandeau. This is an early example of the so-called 'Skookum' doll, a type of tourist or souvenir doll manufactured and distributed on the east coast of the United States of America by the Arrow Novelty company, New York. The dolls were designed by Mary Dwyer McAboy (1876-1961) after 'apple-head' dolls she carved and played with as a child. They portray Native American peoples in stylised, stereotypical ways.
Marks and inscriptions
On the label on the ball sole of the boot: 'TRADE MARK REGISTERED PATENTED/ SKOOKUM/ (BULLY GOOD)/ ANCO'
Makers and roles
Arrow Novelty Co. (fl.1920-1950), maker