Collection of approx. 45 "National Costume Dolls". [Israel (and elsewhere), 1940s to 1980s].
Varied collection of "National Costume Dolls": wooden dolls, wire and plastic dolls wearing fabric clothes and several dolls made of other materials, produced by various artists and workshops, including "Sabra", "Pisanty", WIZO, "Hameshakem", Frank Meisler and more. Some of them are placed in pairs on one pedestal. The dolls, most of which were made between the 1950s and the 1980s, represent the human variety of the Israeli society, using stereotypical "Israeli characters" including Haredi Jews in traditional attire and women with old Yishuv-style headdresses, Yemenite men and women in ethnic clothing, pioneers and Kibbutz members. Although some of the dolls – such as Frank Meisler's wooden dolls – were made by artists, most of them were mass-produced, designated to be sold in souvenir shops as popular art for tourists, and are therefore characterized mainly by their simplicity, superficiality and nostalgic perspective.
Size and condition vary. Good to fair overall condition. Blemishes and missing parts to some of the dolls.
Enclosed are several additional dolls which were produced in the late 20th century and early 21st century.