Mme. Alexander’s 22 in. So Big, 1967 – 1975, was based on a book by Eloise Wilkins. My daughter Elaine, shown here with her brother, received this doll for Christmas 1970. She still has it along with the little Golden Press book titled, So Big. It has vinyl head and hands, painted eyes, cry voice, and soft stuffed body, dressed in a blue and white checked gingham suit.
This is my Aunt Sue who gave me the dollhouse in 1965.
This is an 8 in. Little Sophisticate by Uneeda, 1967. It was made with closed eyes and long lashes. There were six of them with different names: Rosanna, Suzanna, Georgina, Marika, and Kristina. Which one is this?
Not long ago our daughter Elaine, shown here at age 4 with her father, came home for a visit and sorted out her childhood dolls. Newborn Thumbelina, a 9.5 in. 1967 vinyl doll by Ideal was a favorite. A pull string in her foam filled body makes her wiggle and look alive. She is wearing her original outfit with others I made in the background.
Teeny Tiny Tears was a popular baby doll in the early 1960’s. This 12 in. American Character doll was made of vinyl, could drink, wet, cry tears, and had eyes that slowly closed as she was rocked. She continued to be made into the 1970’s. Our little daughter would have loved playing with her but I didn’t find her until she was older.
Some 1960s dolls were described as Go-Go’s. This 19 in. doll, 1966 from P and M Sales, was dressed like one, wearing a short tunic and black leggings. Her clumsy body didn’t match her face so I put her head on a fashion doll body and made a dress. Changing heads on dolls can be a bad idea. The doll has lost its identity as a collectible if that is important to you. Save the original parts and all can be restored.
Sometimes a 21 in. Mme. Alexander Cissy was copied in a 10.5 in. size called a Portrette or Cissette. On the left is a 10.5 in. 1968 Portrette named Godey. On the right is a 10.5 in. 2006 Cissette named Picking Bouquets. Both were also made in a larger version.
Valentina Ballerina is a 17 in. ballerina doll by Valentine c. 1962 marked VW on the head. The body is hard plastic with jointed ankles and knees. She is dressed in Capezio shoes and a newer tutu.
Mme. Alexander made a teen fashion doll in 1964, Brenda Starr, 12 in. of rigid vinyl. She had sleep eyes, jointed knees, and a long strand of hair. Shown here is Brenda with her box, wearing her original lace chemise.
This might be my favorite Mme. Alexander doll. It is a 12 in. Lissy, 1959 – 1966, found in her original dress. She has a hard plastic teen-age body, flat feet and glued on wig. It would be fun sewing outfits for her but I could never match the perfection of this two-piece original.
