The Golliwog

Just love those Golliwogs. A few years ago, I didn't have a clue what a Golliwogg was. When I started collecting antique teddy bears, I didn't realize all the things I'd end up collecting to compliment my bears. One of those collectibles that I stumbled upon was the Golliwogg. Those funny little black dolls with the big fuzzy hair, whoever thought it up? Golly's roots date back to 1894 when Florence Upton's imagination created the Golliwogg, and in 1895 her book was published featuring Dutch dolls and a Golliwog. Although that first book was mostly about the dolls, the Golliwogg was the hit of children, and the history of the Golliwog began. Golliwogs are still being made today, but I love the old ones and the unusual homemade ones. I just recently acquired a Merrythought Golli, circa 1940's, available at Antique Teddy Bear Crossing.