Name: Hottentot Kewpie
Made by and When: R. John Wright, 2000
Material: Fully jointed, stuffed wool felt
Marks: (On the red and gold paper chest shield) Kewpie / RJW; (on the back) an RJW brass brad attaches a label that reads, R. John Wright / Hottentot Kewpie
Height: 6-1/2 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Molded felt topknot, brown painted eyes, closed smile
Clothes: Undressed, has tiny wings on the back of each shoulder
Other: Rose O’Neill created sketches of the original Kewpies in 1909. Since then, several manufacturers and artists have designed popular black and white Kewpie dolls in various mediums. “In 1914, a black Kewpie was introduced and dubbed the ‘Hottentot.’ The name was based on the real-life Khoikhoi tribe in southern Africa. When European immigrants colonized the area in the late 1600s, they labeled the natives ‘Hottentots’ in imitation of the sound of the Khoekhoe language. Today, this term is considered derogatory…” (Hottentot Kewpie). Made in a limited edition of 500, R. John Wright’s Hottentot Kewpie from 2000 is a felt rendition of the 1914 doll.
Gallery (Images courtesy of liveauctioneers.com/Dutch Auction Sales and Bonnie Lewis.)
Reference:
“Hottentot Kewpie.” R. John Wright, www.rjohnwright.com/products/hottentot-kewpie. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.
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