Blackface Moorish Fortune Teller - Dennison Handle Paper Mask (1906-1915)

This striking lithographed Dennison handle mask was produced in the early 1900s, following the company’s 1906 patent (U.S. Patent 835486). Dennison Manufacturing Company of Framingham, Massachusetts pioneered the “handle mask” design, allowing wearers to hold the mask to their face rather than tying it on. These masks were sold through catalogues and department stores, and featured heavily in Dennison’s party guides, which helped shape the modern Halloween tradition.

Design & Imagery
The mask depicts a so-called “Moorish Fortune Teller,” a bold and theatrical character type popular in Edwardian-era masquerade culture. The deep tones, polka-dotted turban, and intense expression were achieved through multi-stone chromolithography, giving the mask a richness and depth of color that still shines today. While rooted in the entertainment tropes of its time, it now also serves as a vivid artifact of how exoticism and racial caricature were used in early 20th-century advertising and costume design.

Historical Context
Masks like this emerged in an era when costume imagery was drawn heavily from vaudeville, world’s fairs, and stage shows, reflecting a fascination with the “mystical” and “foreign.” Dennison’s handle masks are among the earliest examples of mass-produced American masquerade masks, bridging party culture, advertising, and print innovation.

Rarity & Survival
Produced between 1906 and 1915, very few of these fragile paper masks have survived. The handle masks in particular are prized among collectors for their distinctive construction and striking lithographed artwork. This piece retains vibrant coloration, with minor wear consistent with age and use.

Measures 13 inches by 10 inches.

A rare and visually arresting Dennison survivor, this mask is both a collectible piece of early Halloween/party history and a window into the cultural imagery of its time.