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'Golliwog'
Marionette&Box
ca. 1950 (made)
ca. 1950 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Puppet, black painted head with black fur for hair. Red shoes, yellow torusers; shirt of pink, green and blue check; blue bow-tie. In a cardboard box lso including 'Instructions for the Pelham Puppet by Jan Bussell', a printed pamphlet on blue paper, and a broadhseet printed with 'Join the Pelpup Club' on one side.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Title | 'Golliwog' (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and painted wood, fabric costume, lead |
| Brief description | Marionette and box, 'Golliwog' by Pelham Puppets Ltd., carved and painted wood, fabric costume, lead, Wiltshire, England, ca.1950 |
| Physical description | Puppet, black painted head with black fur for hair. Red shoes, yellow torusers; shirt of pink, green and blue check; blue bow-tie. In a cardboard box lso including 'Instructions for the Pelham Puppet by Jan Bussell', a printed pamphlet on blue paper, and a broadhseet printed with 'Join the Pelpup Club' on one side. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | MISC.20:1to3-1985 |
About this object record
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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