I Say R...Rag....Ragg...Ragg Mopp....Rag Mop!

 

Three might be a collection, but there is only ONE of these as far as I am concerned. 

May I present my very first doll. A "rag doll" whose name is Ragg Mopp

....or Ragmop

....or Rag Mop....I really don't know at all how I spelled when I was that young. 

I also don't know who gave this doll to me, but my Mama wrote in my "Baby Book" that this was my favorite toy. Also listed in that book are my 2 favorite songs...."Mule Train" (by Frankie Laine) and "Rag Mop".

In 1950 "Rag Mop" was a hit song by The Ames Brothers. Even though my childhood memories are not very clear, it seems like I can remember singing the chorus of this song a LOT! I also remember my Mama singing it to & with me. I wanted to find a good video of The Ames Brothers singing "Rag Mop", but it seems there isn't one. This video contains photos of The Ames Brothers and this is their version of "Rag Mop", which I prefer over others.

After all these years, if I even think about this song it becomes an earworm for a while, but I don't mind at all.

Rag Mop's face is painted on oilcloth and is quite faded and worn. Her eyes are blue and her hair is "blonde". The back of her hat IS the back of her head and the hat's frill is sewn on. 

 

The rest of Rag Mop's body is plain old cotton. She is a "thin" doll, sort of flat, only about 1 3/4 inches at her thickest parts.Her feet/shoes are also "built into" her legs. Her little outfit....an ancient "onesie" of sorts.....does come off, so over the years it has been washed, but it's still dingy. The rest of Rag Mop, except for her face, is quite dingy & dirty and I'd be afraid to try cleaning her now.

Rag Mop makes me feel the comfort and love and security of my childhood......before I was aware of "the world" outside my parent's home.