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Soft Toy

1979-1984 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

figure of cotton, felt and nylon fabrics, stuffed
black fur fabric strip of hair
white label sewn into seam, printed in blue
hexagonal printed card label attached at neck

came with a mild pressed steel guitar (non playing), printed in colours on red and with a red cord


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Golly
  • Toys (Recreational Artifacts)
  • Guitar
Materials and techniques
cotton, felt, nylon fabrics, fur fabric, card, printed mild pressed steel
Brief description
Chad Valley, English, 1979-84
Physical description
figure of cotton, felt and nylon fabrics, stuffed
black fur fabric strip of hair
white label sewn into seam, printed in blue
hexagonal printed card label attached at neck

came with a mild pressed steel guitar (non playing), printed in colours on red and with a red cord
Dimensions
  • Height: 19in
Production typemass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • Chad Valley // Chiltern // Hygenic Toys (sewn in label; printed)
  • Made in England by Chad Valley Division of General Mills UK (card label; printed)
Credit line
Given by the Palitoy Company
Object history
The original golliwog was a central character in a series of books by Bertha and Florence Upton published between 1895 and 1909. Florence, the illustrator of the stories, based the golliwog on a doll she had acquired in the US in the 1880s. The appearance of this doll was influenced by the Blackface performance tradition. From the late 19th century until the 1960s, the golliwog flourished as a toy. Its image featured on toys, games, textiles and ceramics and was also used by food companies. From the 1970s the golliwog’s popularity began to wane as many British people felt that it promoted racial stereotypes.

Part of the Palitoy Archive
Production
Reason For Production: retail
Collection
Accession number
B.1380:1-1999

About this object record

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Record createdNovember 7, 2000
Record URL
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