Other Dolls Using Toni Face and Body

Pictures of some of the Ideal dolls using the Toni bodies.

The bodies of these dolls are also hard plastic, but the

heads are all vinyl.

Sara Ann

Has a wig made of saran

Made in 1952 Sare Ann has a wig made of sarran.  She is rare and hard to find.



                                                    Mary Heartline,

                                    

                                                                             

                                                                                                             


                                                   Miss Curity 



                                                                                                         
    Betsy McCall                (Sorry, I don't have a pictures.)

    Princess Mary                                                                  
                                                                                 
 

What Is Your Plan?

  

There is a holiday approaching that is important to all doll collectors. It is World Doll Day, always observed on the second Saturday in June. This year it will be June 12. The tradition is to give or share dolls. 

The reason I am bringing this to your attention
now, so everyone can prepare to do something to observe this
important day. If you know someone who loves dolls, give them a doll
or buy yourself a doll you have wanted. You can call a library,
museum, a nursing home and do a small doll display. You can even
create a small display in your own home for your family's enjoyment.

World Doll Day was started by Mildred Seeley.  Following is her

Declaration:

So, you haven't heard of World Doll Day? This is not surprising. As of an hour ago, I hadn't conceived the idea. Bob Isbell, who does my printing, says when I ask for something to be done by tomorrow, "I'll make it hap­pen," This is what l would like to do with World Doll Day - make it hap­pen. I need only one thing - COOPERATION! I need cooperation of every doll collector, every magazine editor, doll newsletter, doll shop, library, dollmaker, mother, grand­mother, father, grandfather, and all the stray aunts and uncles. The first World Doll Day is the Second Saturday of June 1986. I am getting a doll ready to give. If you don't have a child to give a doll to - find one. There are many children with no dolls. Give a doll to a grownup child in the family or just a friend. 

Think of it this way, and ship a doll to another country. I have always felt that the common doll could be an instrument of world understanding. From the time I first started writing books on dollmaking, I had the hope that dolls would help make friends all over the world and develop a little love among all.
World Doll Day will also be a day for doll exhibits. It is my hope that all libraries will have a special doll exhibit; museums will publicize their doll exhibits and have special exhibits at this time. Magazines will put out special editions. Doll stores will put on selling campaigns weeks ahead. Dollmakers will make special dolls for World Doll Day. There will be doll competitions with World Doll Day awards, plaques and trophies.
The logo is made from artist Boots Tyner's doll representing a child. The child carries a German bisque doll to represent this doll col­lector's gift. Feel free to copy the logo or have more made.
Everyone can join the fun, as there are no fees, no permission needed, no obligations, nobody owns the day, no club, no company. It's a free-for-all. Take up the day, its ideas and fly with it. Let's do it now - World Doll Day.
If you think World Doll Day is a good idea, then appoint yourself a committee of one to do something about it - only then can it become a reality. Would you tell five people, ask them to tell five people and each of them tell five more and so on. World Doll Day's birthday is June 14, 1986.
Sincerely, Mil and Vernon Seeley

P.S. This letter may be copied, and copied, again and again, until the world knows about World Doll Day.

Barbie Special Edition Values

This article was written originally in 2006 for a doll newsletter that I was writing at that time.
I am downsizing my doll collection and I wanted to do a 2020 price comparison. So I thought
I would do an update.  Prices are a wide range, so I did an approximate average.

Doll Prices. Oh how times have changed. I was thumbing through an
old doll magazine from 1995 and happened upon an advertisement from a
doll dealer selling Barbie dolls. The dolls listed were the Holiday
Barbies and a few Mackies (dolls designed by Bob Mackie, the fashion
designer). The following is a listing of the prices then being
charged for these dolls in the ad. I went to ebay and found the
closest auction to ending to compare prices being realized today. I
know that on ebay prices can vary widely, but it is also showing a
price you can readily receive for your doll. I have also listed in
comparison the current (2006) ebay prices. All dolls are like new and mint
in box.

Holiday Barbies Ebay
prices
Prices in 1995 ad.                    1995                                       2006                                   2020 
December 2006
1988 Holiday Barbie              725.00                                     150.00.                                70.00                               

1989 Holiday Barbie              225.00.                                      10.99 (no bids)                  31.99                                                                                      
1990 Holiday Barbie (White) 150.00.                                       49.00.                                26.99

1990 Holiday Barbie (Black)    75.00.                                       26.00

1991 Holiday Barbie (White)  175.00                                        24.00.                               11.99

1991 Holiday Barbie (Black)   150.00                                       10.00

1992 Holiday Barbie (White)  125.00                                        16.00                                 12.94 

1993 Holiday Barbie (White)  100.00                                        10.00 (no bids).                  20.00
                             
1993 Holiday Barbie (Black)     95.00.                                        8.99.                                   
                                   
1994 Holiday Barbie (white)     100.00                                       12.00.                                10.95

1994 Holiday Barbie (Black)   100.00                                         12.99



A popular Barbie was the dolls designed by fashion designer Bob Mackie.

Mackie Gold Barbie                 750.00.                                         80.00.                                46.00

Mackie Bride Barbie.               950.00.                                        152.00.                              179.00

Mackie Neptune.                      995.00                                         102.00.                              149.00

Not all doll prices have fallen as dramatically.   Dolls such as the Ideal Toni, Miss Revlon, Ginny, Crissy,
antique dolls and other dolls like these still maintain a good doll
value, but still less than 10 years ago. The flood of dolls from
China I feel was to blame for lessening of doll values and also the
fact they had become over-valued by the price guides to more than the
market could bear.

Identifying Vintage Barbie

This is a hard subject to understand and even harder to explain.  My good friend a doll dealer and I were talking and I asked her why she didn't sell a lot of Barbies.  She said to identify most Barbies would make you crazy. 
I collected vintage Barbie for many years. I did not buy them new, but at garage sales, thrift stores etc.  I did buy a lot of later special editions new until I realized the beautifully gowned and styled dolls were sewn to the box.  When you take her out of the box she looks not much better than a regular Barbie.  No wonder they tell you they are  only valuable if never removed from box.  Well I am a doll collector, not a box collector.
No, I do not have a #1, 2 or 3.  The oldest Barbie I have is from as best as I can tell is about 1968 - 1970. A Mexico manufactured doll. Most of my collection is  up to 1985.  I do have the 1962 issue of Midge and Alan.  But they are other people.  There are a few Barbies that have distinctive faces  and the originals only made a few years such as Malibu Barbie.
Well you say You have several old ones with the year 1966 .  There are billions with that date.  1966 is the year that body was patented.  The year dates on Barbie have nothing to do with the date of issue. 
It took me lots of time to identify my collection, both Barbie and her clothes.  Over the years I purchased many books and I studied them and I was able to identify an issue range of the dolls.  I looked at many pictures and was able to identify the vintage clothes.  I will go into the clothes later. 
If the vintage did not have a specific face and limited years of issue, the only way to know the age was country the doll was manufactured in.
The following will tell you the years Barbie was made in that country.
1958 - 1971   Japan.  If you Barbie has Japan that means she is 62  to 49 years old in 2020.    Sometimes there are clues to be more specific.  That is where the Barbie identification books are needed.
1968 - 1970.        Mexico
1970 - 1982.        Hong Kong
1972 - 1 978.       Korea
1974 - 1987.        Taiwan
1978 - 1988.        Philippines
1986 -  present     China
1992 -  present     IndonesiaMattel also has a facility Malaysia.

Halloween

I love to use my dolls to decorate.  I had these two McDonald's Madame Alexander dolls from many years ago.  The witch came from The Wizard of Oz set and the one dressed as a pumpkin I have no idea which set she was in.   The skeletons came from Dollar tree.  I have had them a long time.  I had the other items in my stash (all doll collectors have a stash) and have no clue where I got this stuff.  I think it is a cute display using stuff that is around the house.  

A Small Halloween Display

Ephermera!!!!!!

Original hang tag for Peter Playpal.

Madame Alexander doll with hang tag.

Ephemera        What?!!!!     What is that?!!!!!
What?!!! Was my reaction to the word ephemera when I first heard 
this term. Ephemera is an important part of doll collecting. This 
is the term used for it€;  minor documents of everyday life, non-book printed matter, principally of paper designed in the main for short term use, often for simplicity of disposal€ as defined by The Ephemera Society founded in 1975.
For doll collectors ephemera are simply the paper that comes with 
the dolls or relates to dolls. There are all categories of ephemera, 
but for the true doll collector it is doll paper and is a way to add 
variety to your collection. 
Doll paper can be found anywhere. (even reproductions of ir can be found on ebay) It is through these tiny bits of 
paper that historians have been able to document many dolls and write the reference books. Doll paper can be defined in two ways. The first way is paper that has a specific doll as the main subject and that gives information on that doll. These bits of paper complete the story of the doll; often giving information that is vital. Doll papers that are important to a specific doll include: boxes, hang tags, certificates, booklets and other written information that comes with a doll when purchased new. Much of this material is lost as the doll ages and in order to make the doll complete again the doll papers are important. Also included in this category are paper dolls of actual dolls such as Crissy, Mrs. Beasley, Barbie and Chatty Cathy to name a few. Paper doll collecting is not to be confused with doll paper collecting. Doll paper collecting is a very inexpensive way for collectors to add interest to their collections. A Chatty Cathy doll collection would be more interesting to have a book of Chatty Cathy Paper dolls included.
The prices of dolls that still have their original doll papers command higher prices shows the importance of doll paper.
The second category of doll paper collecting can be categorized by 
paper that has dolls as the secondary subject. Advertising using 
dolls to enhance a product such as old magazine ads. Some of these ads can be found as far back as the 1870's. Toy catalogs that have many dolls are important to collectors to gain information on the original issue of their dolls. Toy catalogs are not easy to find
especially the older ones as collectors usually snap them up at doll 
shows, flea markets, estate sales and anywhere else they can be 
found. A booklet issued by Mattel showing the many fashions for 
Barbie is of great importance to Barbie collectors. 
Christmas cards with pictures of dolls can be a great doll paper 
collectibles, as can old photographs of children with their dolls. 
Even the post office has issued many doll stamps. The US Post Office issued a set of stamps a few years ago featuring Classic American Dolls and many countries also issue stamps with dolls on them. All the major pattern companies issue doll-clothing patterns for more popular dolls. Books are another important category that features dolls. Many dolls have been released based on the characters in a book and books have been written using a popular doll as the main character. There are many coloring books, puzzles and even sticker books. A few pieces of old sheet music can be found with dolls on the cover. Another category has recently been added to doll paper collecting and that is magazines and reference books, especially the older ones. The list of doll paper is endless and perhaps one of the most interesting is Charming  Chatty on the cover of the December 7, 1963 issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. So I ask, Do you
collect ephemera?

Storing Doll Paper
All papers that will be kept for long periods should be at a humidity level of about 50%. Too much moisture will cause paper to mold.
Keep paper out of all light. Too much light can make paper brittle

Avoid extreme temperatures. Do not store papers on top of each other as colors may bleed. Do not use transparent tape, as it will stain the paper. Use acid free envelopes and folders to store papers in.
Remember each piece of doll paper lost is history lost.

This is another interesting part of collecting.  As for me the only paper I might keep would be a hang tag.  The only piece of  ephemera I have kept is a letter written by a nurse to a doll seamstress in the early 1930's ordering a replica of her nursing uniform for her doll.  She enclosed a picture of herself in her uniform.  The doll is an A&M porcelain doll from Germany and I am guessing the doll was about ten years old at the time.  I bought the doll about 20 years ago from a doll dealer, who told me she had bought the doll at an estate sale.  I love when I know some of the history on my dolls.
A certificate of authenticity for a Lenci doll and a hang tag.

• pictur

1997 USA issue doll stamps

As you can see there are many kinds of ephemera you can add to your doll collection.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAGGEDY ANN

                                                             
                                                       
                                                        1915 Raggedy Ann

                                                       



HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAGGEDY ANN.                     104 YEARS OLD                                                           

On September 7, 1915, US Patent D47789 was issued to Johnny Gruenell  for Raggedy Ann.                                                             



Johnny Barton Gruenell

    (1880 - 1938)

Mr Gruenell was born in Areola, Illinois, and was an accomplished illustrator working for The New York Herald Newspaper.  Until his death in 1938, Mr Gruenell  wrote and illustrated over 40 Raggedy Ann books. 

Johnny Gruenell's daughter Marcella looking  around in the attic found an old cloth rag doll in a barrell that had been made by Mr Gruenell's mother for his sister.  Marcella brought the doll to her father and he drew a whimsical face on it.  From his bookshelf he pulled a book of poems by James Whitcomb Riley and combined  the names of two of the poems, ''The Raggdy Man'', and ''Little Orphaned Annie''.  He suggested to Marcella to name the doll Raggedy Ann.  The  doll had shoe button  eyes (buttons were used instead of shoelaces) and a sad smile.  "Raggedy Ann" became Marcella's favorite playmate.      . 
                                    
When Marcella was 13 years old, she was vaccinated at school for smallpox.  She fell ill and died.  Her father was devastated. He blamed the vaccine for her death.  Raggedy Ann became the symbol of the anti vaccine cause.  Knowing how much Marcella loved Raggedy Ann, he began writing stories about the doll.  He applied for a patent on May 28, 1915, and received US patent D47789 for the Raggedy  Ann doll on September 7, 1915.



Knowing how much Marcella loved Raggedy Ann, Mr Gruenell introduced the doll to the public in the 1918 book, " The Raggedy Ann Stories".  The book was a great success.






A second book was published in 1920 and introduced Raggedy Andy, dressed in a sailor suite and cap.


                                                  

Many people are surprised to learn the original Raggedy Ann had brown hair and Tin or wooden eyes.  The dolls are made completely of cloth and the nose is quite thin.  The eyelashes are painted far below the eyes.  Some of the earliest  and most prized dolls had sewn knee and elbow joints.  These rare dolls are highly sought dolls and can command thousands of dollars at auction.



Raggedy Ann and Andy were all originally hand made.  But in time they were manufactured.

Manufacturers of Raggedy Ann

Volland Co. 1920 - 1934. Brown or red hair. Outward-turned feet. Lashes low on her            cheeks. Three different recognized mouths.
•Georgene Averill, Mid-1930's - 1963. Red yarn hair. Painted face. Cloth label sewn in side seam. Both asleep and awake dolls.
•Knickerbocker Toy Co. 1963 - 1982. Printed features. Red yarn hair. Tag sewn in seam. The 1974 doll talks. In 1965 begins the Afro-American beloved Belindy.
•Nasco/Hobbs-Merrill, 1973. Plastic and vinyl dolls with rooted yarn hair.
•Applause Dolls, 1981. Tag sewn in seam.
•Hasbro, 1983 - Onward. Marketed under the Playskool label.

Picture of 100th anniversary Raggedy Ann

There is an enjoyable legend that tells us the original dolls had candy hearts sewn inside.  This legend came about because Mr Gruenell's son, Worth recalls being sent to the candy store to buy sugar hearts and picking out the ones with, "I Love You" printed on them.  This began the legend that the original hand made cloth dolls made by the Gruenell family had real candy hearts sewn inside.
Sadly, no one has ever found a candy heart inside a Raggedy Ann. There have been many books written about the adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy. These stories have been told around the world and have enchanted people that even s small rag doll was capable of some very imaginative adventures.