Doll
Denys Fisher Toys Limited
Category
Dolls
Date
1976
Materials
Perspex case and cardboard box
Measurements
333 x 170 x 74 mm
Place of origin
Wetherby
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 672697
Summary
A clear rectangular shaped sealed perspex case that contains a rectangular shaped cardboard box inside which is a Muhammad Ali doll and punchbag manufactured by Denys Fisher. The cardboard box is predominantly white with colour images of Muhammed Ali in various boxing poses on the front, rear and sides. Muhammed Ali is printed in red capital letters at the top of the front and sides of the box and on both of its ends and there are blue Denys Fisher logos on the front, rear and both sides of the box. On the rear of the box there is a colour image of an opponent boxing doll and a boxing ring that are also manufactured by Denys Fisher and the sides of the box give details of the accessories included with the doll (punch ball, shorts and gloves) and of how the doll can be activated to punch the punch ball. Muhammed Ali (born Cassius Clay) was an American professional boxer and social activist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942 he won a gold medal boxing as an amateur in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Olympic Games, following which he turned professional and boxed in the heavyweight division. He became known as ‘The Greatest’ and won his first World Title when he defeated Sonny Liston in February 1964, after which he formally changed his name from Clay to Ali. He remained undefeated until 1967 but was then stripped of his World Title following his refusal to be drafted into the American military for the Vietnam War. He did not fight again for four years but went on to regain the World Title in 1974 and again, having lost it through a defeat in the ring, in 1978. His refusal to fight in Vietnam made him an icon for the 1960’s counterculture movement and he became a high profile figure promoting civil rights and social justice in America and worldwide both during and after his boxing career. Ali is often cited as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time and in 1999 he was named as Sportsman of The Century by Sports Illustrated magazine and Sports Personality of The Century by The BBC. Muhammed Ali died in June 2016.
Provenance
Manufactured by Denys Fisher in 1976. Purchased by The National Trust via ebay on 19th August 2020 as part of the Collecting Cultures Exploring Childhoods project.
Marks and inscriptions
Top right of Perspex case: White price label, top right of perspex for Metropolis Vintage toys including price of £450
Makers and roles
Denys Fisher Toys Limited , manufacturer