Shoppers slammed for buying 'racist' $109.95 Golliwog dolls associated with the slave era for Christmas... as retailers say they've seen a surge in sales

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Shoppers have been slammed for snapping up 'racist' Golliwog dolls - which are said to be flying off the shelves of Australian toy shops and online stores this Christmas.  

The black 'Golliedolls' - with their frizzy hair, dark skin and clown lips - have divided public opinion since they rose to fame in the 1970's. 

Indigenous rights campaigners say the doll is an insensitive caricature of people of colour and an offensive nod to the black slave era, while retailers maintain the doll is simply a cute collectors item.

A boutique wholesaler of high-quality dolls told Daily Mail Australia they had experienced a huge 'surge' of Golliwog sales in the lead-up to Christmas, with buyers forking out up to $110 for a doll. 

Golliwog dolls are said to be flying off the shelves of Australian toy stores this Christmas 

High-quality doll store Kate Finn told Daily Mail Australia they had seen a 'revival' in Golliwog sales this Christmas, with buyers forking out up to $110 per doll

Luke Pearson, founder of media platform IndigenousX, told Daily Mail Australia the restocking and selling of Golliwogs in 2015 was 'eternally frustrating' and incredibly insulting.

'Golliwogs have f***ing paws instead of hands and feet ... they come from a time when human zoos were a part of reality - people would go to a zoo to see an African person,' he said.

'They are back because Australia has this idea that we’re so far beyond racism that it’s okay to be racist again.' 

Mr Pearson said the dolls were an insult to years of black rights progress and campaigning.

'It's just frustrating for people who are working towards a point of understanding about how racism exists in today's society as well as historically ... to know that it’s constantly an uphill battle,' he said.

'When you think you’re making a forward step there’s always people trying to bring it back.' 

Beth, from online store 'All Things Golliwog' says she doesn't 'buy into the racism argument.'

'When I see a Golly I see memories from my childhood not a politically incorrect doll. When is the madness going to stop!,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Indigenous rights campaigners say the doll is an insensitive caricature of people of colour

Her store has seen a 'massive' increase in Golliedoll sales this Christmas, shipping from Australia to all corners of the globe. 

Kate Margo, creative director of the high-quality doll store 'Kate Finn' has seen similar growth in Golliedoll sales this year, telling Daily Mail Australia they had experienced a 'revival' in numbers.

'Most people love them ... A lot of people had golllies when they were children and now adults buy them for themselves,' she said.  

'We have been marketing this product for over 25 years and receive very few objections – many people avidly collect them and really love them,' said 'Kate Finn' managing director Lorraine James.

Both Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg have a Kate Finn golly in their doll collections. 

Ms Margo said the 2015 sales didn't compare to 2008 - where they were shipping out hundreds of Golliwog dolls every week - but that business was certainly peaking. 

'Golliwogs have f***ing paws instead of hands and feet ... they come from a time when human zoos were a part of reality - people would go to a zoo to see an African person,' said an indigenous rights campaigner

The owner of online store 'All Things Golliwog' says she doesn't 'buy into the racism argument'

'When I see a Golly I see memories from my childhood not a politically incorrect doll. When is the madness going to stop!,' she told Daily Mail Australia