This cute, little composition Mexican chap I scored recently in Cubao--at Grand Thrift Shop, where else? That funky nook in Cubao Expo that has everything that mother threw away. I thought I'd found a Cisco Kid doll, a 50s TV series about a Mexican cowboy hero. I have that doll which looks exactly like this one--same height, same material, with the same drawn-on mustache--but the Cisco Kid doll was dressed in all-black, including his hat. A quick ebay search revealed that what I have is a generic Mexican souvenir doll depicting a Mexican cowboy. There is a Mexican girl version of this, and they were meant to be sold as a pair. Wish I have that too, but for now, this little hombre will do.
For an 8 inch tall doll, this Mejicano is quite detailed and well-made--right down to his holster with metal bullets! His gun is missing though, and his face shows a bit of crazing I have since cleaned it, washed its clothes and straw hat, plus repaired the chopped-off left foot with epoxy clay. When I first saw this, it was kept inside a large glass jar--which I also kept. These dolls were made for a long time--from the 1930s thru the 60s, and this example probably dates from the mid century. There are other variations of this doll depicting
mariachis, vaqueros, dark-skinned
bandidos--but all made from a similar mold. They are priced from $9.99 to $60 for a pair--less than what I paid for this doll, but at least I didn't have to go to Mexico to get this souvenir!
I haven't the slightest idea why I got these two vintage rubber dolls that probably date from the mid 60s. I've always been a sucker for old toys, especially those that squeak, toot or cry "Mama". They were made by separate makers, although almost of the same height, around 16". The first one depicts a baby boxer, a concept that's hard to understand--why would someone subject a baby to uppercuts, left hooks and killer punches? I thought it's a charming doll--its squeaker still works when the rubber doll is squeezed. It's a rather unusual subject for a toy, 'no?
The other doll is more familiar to me--it's Pinocchio! To underscore the fact that this is a squeaker doll, Pinocchio even holds a horn. A quick ebay search yielded a similar toy figure and I found out that this was made in Italy and that. indeed, it dates from the 60s. The example on ebay has a price tag of $85, which is really too much to pay for a doll of this kind. Rubber dolls don't keep well, and they tend to sag after some time. These two examples are in fair condition, not dirt cheap by my standards, but still a good buy. Guess you could say I'm a rubber lubber. Squeak-squeak.
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