Pirate of the Seven Seas - Emerick's face mask (1940s-50s)

Step back into the Golden Age of novelty masks with this fierce Pirate of the Seven Seas, a lithographed paper face mask produced by Emerick during the 1940s–50s. With his scarlet headscarf, weathered face, golden hoop earring, and dagger clenched between his teeth, this pirate embodies the romanticized swashbuckler image that filled American pop culture in the post-war years.

Emerick was a well-known maker of party novelties and paper goods, active from the 1930s through the 1950s, and their masks were distributed widely in dime stores, carnivals, and children’s parties. Pirate masks were perennial favorites, tying into the era’s fascination with Hollywood pirate films (Errol Flynn, Burt Lancaster) and adventure stories that stirred the imaginations of kids and adults alike.

Date: 1940s–50s

Maker: Emerick (marked on mask)

Material: Litho-printed card stock

Design: Pirate with dagger in teeth, hoop earring, and red headscarf

Size: 7 ½ inches by 10 inches

Condition: Original vintage, with normal age wear