Objects

A doll which accompanied Helena Lemberg (later Frumer by marriage), together with her mother and sister, during her transatlantic journey on the Piłsudski ship, from Gdynia to New York, in 1937.

As a memento of her emigration, Helena kept the doll, together with the dress she wore during the journey (also held in the POLIN Museum collection).

This rag doll is made of cotton canvas, stuffed with a cotton filling. The toy's face features hand-painted blue eyes, with dark eyelashes, eyebrows, pink lips and rosy cheeks. The doll’s hair is made of yellow wool. She is dressed in a light-coloured blouse, printed with a floral pattern and a red sewn-on collar. The collar is pleated, resembling a ruff.

The doll also wears a navy-blue skirt, decorated at the bottom with two factory-made ribbons. The lower ribbon is red, while the upper one is beige (now yellowed). Her light-coloured apron is also decorated with two ribbons – red at the bottom and blue at the top. Under the skirt, thin, translucent knee-length batiste pantaloons can be seen.

The doll wears a faded red felt belt (or bodice) trimmed with a decorative silver braid and tied in the front with a green string, a pointed green felt hat, one crocheted white wool sock (the other is missing), and black shoes. The shoes are made of canvas with a sizing finish, cardboard soles, and metal buckles. They are black and lace-up.

The doll also wears a faded red felt belt (or bodice), a felt hat, one sock, and black shoes. The belt, trimmed with a decorative silver edging, is tied at the front with a green cord. The hat is pointed and green in colour. The sock is crocheted from white yarn (the second one is missing). The shoes are black and lace-up. They are made of sized canvas, cardboard (for the sole), and metal (for the buckle).

MF