John F. Kennedy groom doll
Object number2002.013.0001
Datecirca 1953
ClassificationsArtifacts
ObjectDoll
Credit LineThe Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Collection
MediumCloth, Ceramic, Plastic
Dimensions17 1/4 in. (43.8 cm)
Collections
DescriptionBisque doll of John F. Kennedy with a cloth body and bisque head, hands and feet. The doll is dressed in a wedding tuxedo with ivory jacket, black pants and a black bow tie. The clothes are homemade, sewn on a machine but not mass-produced. John Kennedy wore a dark morning suit with tails to his 1953 wedding so this costume is not an accurate representation of his wedding clothes.
This doll and the accompanying bride doll are one of a kind, although the bisque heads representing John and Jacqueline Kennedy were commercially available to doll enthusiasts.
Curatorial CommentaryThis wedding doll, and its companion, were featured on a popular culture spotlight on WFAA-TV's Good Morning Texas program in 2011. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
There is a mark on the back of the doll's head that looks a little like the name Esther, but with both of the first two letters capitalized: ESther. If you have information about this doll-maker or about this pair of Kennedy wedding dolls, please contact us at collections@jfk.org. Thank you! - Lindsey Richardson, Curator of Collections
circa 1953
circa 1964
circa 1960
