Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Mama Doll; body of doll is a cone-like structure; wears white nightie with a small blue print design; ruffles around the neck and on bonnet; mouth painted red and open, blue painted eyes, light brown painted hair and eyebrows; white and blue dress, closed at bottom; matching bonnet; has buttons pinned all over dress; buttons read "LIBERTY/ V/ LOAN"; "1919" with red cross; "SALVATION ARMY/ CHELSEA" with donut; "2ND/ WAR FUND" with red cross"; "Empire Patent/ FULLY PATENTED/ MAMA/ DOLL/ I TALK !!!/ 'SQUEEZE/ ME EASY!' MADE IN AMERICA/ cop. 1915 by LOUIS V. ARONSON/ 49"; black and white image of woman; "MY/ FIRST VOTE/ HARDING/ IS FOR; "FOURTH/ LIBERTY LOAN" with white, red and white flag"; "W.S.S./ PLEDGED/ FOR/ 1918"; red circle safety pinned to dress.

An owner used this “Mama Doll” as a place to display buttons and badges. Many of them have to do with fundraising related to World War I. The buttons, designed to be pinned to coats and lapels, showed that the wearer participated in the war effort by loaning money to the government by purchasing Liberty Loan bonds, giving money to the Red Cross or supporting the Salvation Army. This type of doll—fitted with a small squeeze box—made a sound like a baby crying for its mama.