Washington Doll
In the years immediately following the American Revolution, George Washington became a living symbol of a new nation. Across the young republic, admiration for him inspired countless small acts of devotion. This rare type of commemorative doll is an example of this admiration. It was crafted from wool in 1790. These were not toys but expressions of patriotism, Washington’s image carried deep symbolic weight.
This doll is dressed in a white lambskin apron which Washington wore as a dedicated member of the Masonic fraternity. Washington was initiated as a Mason in 1752 and later served as Master of Alexandra Lodge. At this time, Washington’s Masonic identity represented moral leadership, civic responsibility and the ideas upon which the new nation was built. To create a doll of Washington wearing a Masonic apron was to honor the man and the virtues he embodied. This wool Washington doll from this period would have been displayed in a home or lodge. It was not an object for everyday play.
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