Name: Pussy Cat
Made by and When: Madame Alexander; 1970s, 1992, and 2009
Material: Vinyl heads, arms, and legs; brown-cloth bodies; the top portion of the arms and legs is cloth.
Marks: (On the head of the 1970s doll) 2 / ALEXANDER / 19©77
(On the head of the 1992 doll) ALEXANDER / 19©1977
(On the head of the 2009 doll—Pocketful of Posies Pussy Cat) 14 / ALEXANDER / 19©77
Height: 18, 16, and 14 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouths: (1970s) Dark-brown rooted hair, brown sleep eyes with attached bristle upper eyelashes, painted eyelashes at the upper corners and on the lower eyelids, closed mouth painted pink. (1992) Brown wavy rooted waist-length hair styled in two upper side pigtails with bangs and loose in the back; brown sleep eyes with bristle eyelashes attached to the eyelids and hand-painted eyelashes at the upper corners and on the lower eyelids, closed mouth with coral lip color. (2009) Black wig styled in two pink-ribbon accented pinned-under braids with bangs and sideburns, brown sleep eyes with bristle eyelashes attached to the eyelids and hand-painted eyelashes at the upper corners and on the lower eyelids, closed mouth with dark red lip color.
Clothes:
1970s Pussy Cat wears a blue cotton white lace and pink rickrack-trimmed dress, matching blue panties, and white booties with pink floral appliqués.
1992 Pussy Cat wears a pink/lavender/mint-green and white floral dress, white pantaloons with two lacy lavender ribbons at the hemline, white socks, and white faux leather ankle strap shoes.
2009 Pocketful of Posies Pussy Cat wears a white cotton dress with delicate flowers embroidered on the bodice and above the pink hem, white pantaloons, a pink sweater, and white satin slip-on shoes.
Other: Available in at least three sizes throughout several manufacturing years, Pussy Cat is a classic Madame Alexander baby doll originally produced as a Black doll in approximately 1970. Black versions were not included in the company’s 2007 catalog but returned in 2009 for an unknown number of years. The company’s 2024 online catalog only includes the white version. All dolls have hangtags and Madame Alexander Doll Company body tags. The clothing is labeled inside with a Madame Alexander Dolls tag. The style numbers for the 1970s and 1992 dolls are 5130 and 48046.
Pussy Cat dolls’ distinctive characteristics are a pointed index finger and a straight thumb on the left hand with all other fingers and the right thumb curled under and bent baby legs.
Gallery
_________
Your comments are valued. Donations aid the initiative to preserve Black-doll history.
If you subscribe to DeeBeeGee’s Virtual Black Doll Museum
by email, click the post title of the email, which links to the website to view all text and associated media. Please “like” and share this installation with your social media contacts. If you’d like to subscribe, add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar. Add your email address to the subscribe or sign-up field in the footer or right sidebar.
Search for specific dolls or specific doll categories, e.g. “antique dolls” using the search field at the website.