Creep into the Halloween weekend with this patent model from the Smithsonian National Museum of History.
It’s George Pemberton Clarke’s 1871 “Natural Creeping Baby Doll.”
The original patent office tag is still attached with red tape.
—
“Well, that’s just all kinds of creepy,” Puck muttered at my side, giving the doll a look of alarm.
“If you see any clowns, do me a favor and don’t point them out, okay? i’d rather live without the nightmares.”
–Julie Kagawa
–Julie Kagawa
—
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
I didn't have my glasses on.... 
All dolls seem a little creepy to me, but this cyborg version takes the Halloween cake!
LikeLiked by 1 person
it really does! and they are to me too
LikeLiked by 1 person
Creepy! Have you heard of the Frozen Charlotte dolls?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Noooooo..
LikeLiked by 1 person
We used to find then in excavations of homesteads and they always freaked me out. Here is a story about them: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/frozen-charlotte-dolls
LikeLike
yikes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🧡☠️💀
LikeLike
Creepy!
LikeLike
That is extremely creepy!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
so very!
LikeLiked by 1 person
clowns and creepy dolls — remember Chucky? — are the stuff of nightmares —
LikeLiked by 1 person
two of my big terrors in life
LikeLiked by 1 person
mine too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most dolls are creepy enough, but this one is actually creeping!
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
well said!
LikeLiked by 1 person
creepy indeed! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
right?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
My goody halloween song
LikeLiked by 1 person
perfect!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This vintage doll appears quite realistic, Beth, but I wonder why they built a coffee table on its back!
LikeLiked by 2 people
it’s creepy in every way
LikeLike
Yikes! Nothing creepier that creepy ol’ dolls! Beth, when my youngest son turned 18 he wanted a tattoo. We went to the parlor and a creepy doll was on the shelf. After many years of creepy movies and dolls we looked at each other and laughed. We both saw it as a sign he had nothing to fear but that doll! Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So creepy! I wonder who the original audience for this little nightmare-inducer might have been?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t think of anyone
LikeLike
Always thought dolls were rather creepy…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too!
LikeLike
You do find the most obscure facts and coordinating photos. It would be a rare child who would embrace this “doll” and love up on it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly!
LikeLike
Yep, creepy is the operative word.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It so is
LikeLiked by 1 person
Uhm…..I’m a little stuck on what to say. 😂 👍 for mechanism idea 👎 for execution of design… 🤷🏻♀️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect for Halloween!
LikeLiked by 1 person
High creep factor
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why are so many dolls scary?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know!
LikeLike
Not the sort of doll you’d take to bed with you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or ever have around me in any way
LikeLike
I love that the description calls it a NATURAL creeping doll. Maybe they meant SUPERNATURAL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, they clearly forgot that part
LikeLike
What is it about bald dolls (never mind ones in contraptions like these) that is so darn creepy? Now I’m thinking of Toy Story and that horrid kid – Sid – that broke apart toys and re-attached them randomly…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I forgot about sid
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was such a rotten kid!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jeepers creepers! Beth, that’s the scariest thing I’ve ever seen (other than the news). And they described it as “natural”… Ugabuggabugga…. (shudders).
Happy Halloween! Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sooooo scary!
LikeLike
It’s funny that people are scared by doll when dolls have no reaction at all to people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One-sided
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is fantastically creepy. I’m amazed at how old that is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree about both comments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is too creepy for me, Beth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
and I’m guessing for most people as well, myself included
LikeLiked by 1 person
😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with Puck.
LikeLiked by 1 person
so incredibly creepy
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very creepy indeed Beth, not sure which is worse the creepy doll or the comment about the clowns cause I’m not into them either. Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
same here!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s more on the subject:
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/33183
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you scroll down, there’s a female counterpart:
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh, wow! equally horrible
LikeLike
unbelievably horrible
LikeLike
Clowns and dolls do not make for good replicas of humanity, so they often come out creepy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
it’s really close to impossible for them not to be
LikeLike
Pingback: creeping. – DAILY GRUMPS AD