I received an email from Linda last week with 3 photos of vintage dolls she had recently purchased but needs help identifying. I’m sure as a group we can help her figure out who some of these beauties are.

Photo # 1 – four dolls.

Photo #2 – four dolls.

Photo #3 – the first one is a Kewpie doll, but the other 3 need identification.

If you have any answers, ideas, or insight into what dolls any of these are, please leave a comment below.

As with most aspects of life, in order to appreciate today you have an understanding of the past. That plays true even for doll collectors. The dolls we play with today have all evolved and been inspired by the dolls created throughout history. One of my friends, Nancy from Archive Americana, was kind enough to share some beautiful photos of her Grandmother’s Patsy doll that is from the 1920s!

Patsy was made by the Effanbee Doll Company between 1912-1939. She was one of the first dolls who had fashions you could buy separately. Nancy’s grandmother got the doll in the late 1920s (she was born in 1921).

This is a photo of Patsy blowing out her candle at the Birthday party in Nancy’s back yard in 1932 -San Francisco.

Patsy was 14″ tall and had arms and legs that could move.

Seriously, how cute is she in that green dress!

Most of the clothes were made by her mother, who was an at-home mom and a great seamstress. The later clothes were made by a friend of a friend in the early 1970s. Nancy’s grandmother and her best friend, Mardie, both had Patsy dolls that they loved playing with.

Vintage Patsy dresses.

Vintage Kimono for Patsy doll.

And every doll needs pajamas! These are pjs for Patsy.

Here is another article on Patsy and more on the Effanbee doll company at DollReference.com.

Thanks so much Nancy for sharing this fabulous piece of history with us!

I got a phone call from my Mom the other day saying she had found a box in the basement with some other items that they had inherited from family members and in the box was a little 8″ doll. The box was from my Great Aunt who had lived in California in the 1950-1970 time-frame.

The box looks like this. It says Muffie on the top and Nancy Ann Storybook on the sides with her trademark polka dots. According to my Dad, my Great Aunt used to love dolls and would buy them and make them little outfits.

According to the box, it should contain an undressed Muffie that is a brunette with pigtails and you can even see it was purchased for $1.98 – what year, I do not know, but I am guessing the 50′s or 60′s.

But what the box says is not what is inside! Inside is a sweet little blonde doll who is dressed in a cream colored dress with little beaded sequins for trim. I am trying to figure out if she is a Nancy Ann Muffie or whether she is a Vogue Ginny. Both were popular doll brands at the time and it is very possible that she is a Ginny doll but is wearing Muffie’s undergarments and shoes. I can not find a stamp or marking on her body – but it is possible I am missing something or there is some other clue that would help me figure out who she is.

Here she is standing up. She is a straight leg walker meaning as she “walks” her head turns side to side. At that time some of the dolls were straight leg, some straight leg walkers and others had bendable knees and were bent knee walkers.

For being 40-60 years old, this doll is in FANTASTIC condition. I am 99% sure she has been in a box for at least 40 years as my Great Aunt passed away when I was a little girl. Her bright blue eyes are sleep eyes and while they still open and close, they don’t do so easily.  Her wig is definitely glued on and is in amazing condition, too. Her limbs are also in fantastic condition – they are hard plastic but move with ease yet are not loose.

The only flaw I can find is a tiny little bit of discoloration under her chin where a rubber band has been for the last 40+ years. I removed the rubber band as I can not see any reason to have it on there.

She doesn’t really like showing you her undies, but for identification purposes, it is important. she is wearing a cream colored undies and socks and white shoes that are soft plastic with a knob closure.

In the box was also the original catalog/pamphlet for the doll that originally came in this box. It has a cute letter to Muffie’s new playmate and then it unfolds to show all the dolls available in the line at the time. I was surprised to see the variation and all the accessories, outfits and extras that were available for these little cuties back then.

The variety of outfits was adorable! Look at those cute little dresses, purses and hats! This little 8″ cutie had it all.

This is part of the back of the pamphlet that show the bridal party dolls and the special occasion dolls. The dressed bridal party dolls must have been special as they were $5.29 compared to a $1.98 undressed doll. So interesting!

Basically I have a few mysteries to solve:

1. What year is the Muffie box and the Muffie catalog from?

2. Is the doll that is in the box a Nancy Ann Muffie – and which one – or is she a Vogue Ginny – which one – or is she another brand like Hollywood or something else all together?

3. Was the outfit that is on blondie a dress made by the manufacturer or one made by my Great Aunt?

Any doll historians, history buffs or those in the know – if you have any insights, links to guides or any other clues, please leave a comment below or email me at share@dolldiaries.com. I’d love to get more information about this doll.

Many of you are familiar with Sharry – she is a frequent commenter and contributor to the Doll Diaries community, has her own YouTube channel,  she is a teacher, and she is a collector of 1970′s toys and dolls. Sharry will be sharing more photos and insight into her 1970′s  treasurers throughout the year.

I’m sure  most of you are familiar with Julie (Springfield Collection), and some of you have seen my 1970s Crissy doll. I bought these groovy identical 70s outfits from Carpatina called Summer Chic that these two best friends can wear together. The shirts fit fine, but the pants need to be pinned in back, as they have smaller waists than American Girl and Carpatina.

Don’t they look just too cute? I really love that classic (Crissy) can meet current, (Julie), and be friends in spite of their differences.

Later this month I will be telling you all about Crissy, and throughout the year, some of my other classic 70s dolls. Have fun!

- Sharry

Created by Johnny Gruelle in 1915, Raggedy Ann was one of the first, if not the first, doll to be marketed with a line of story books. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll known for having red yarn hair and a triangular nose. She was created for Gruelle’s daughter Marcella who died at the age of 13 after getting a small pox vaccine. Shown to the right is the original Raggedy Ann doll – you can get even more information on the doll and the story behind Raggedy Ann at the Raggedy Ann Museum site.

In celebration of Raggedy Ann’s 95th birthday, there are quite a few anniversary editions of her doll being released. My favorites include:

Marcella Loves Raggedy Ann Doll – An adorable doll, inspired by Raggedy Ann creator Johnny Gruelle’s daughter. Little Marcella was a sickly child, and to keep up her spirits, Johnny Gruelle entertained her with tales he spun starring her beloved doll, Raggedy Ann. The 8″ fully articulated vinyl Marcella doll has blonde hair, blue eyes and wears a pretty in pink coat over a white skirted outfit. Ensemble includes matching pink hat, white socks, black shoes, and her very own Raggedy Ann doll, too! Limited quantities are available.

Raggedy Ann Cloth Doll 18″ by Madame Alexander – Raggedy Ann by Madame Alexander is an 18” cloth doll that has a molded face covered in cloth and dazzling red yarn hair. She wears a pale blue cotton dress that features a floral print that’s so unique it’s specially licensed. This classic doll’s dress has a white pique collar and is worn beneath a white apron which has been given a top stitching detail. Raggedy Ann ‘s look is complete with white bloomers and attached black felt shoes on the feet of her red and white striped legs.

Raggedy Ann 95th Anniversary Doll – Special edition Raggedy Ann® takes us back to the time when the little rag doll first captured our hearts. This long-time friend celebrates her 95th year of love and friendship. She’s 12″H and still as huggable as ever. Her facial features have been recreated to closely resemble creator Johnny Gruelle’s original hand-drawn illustrations. Includes display box and commemorative certificate.

Raggedy Ann 95th Anniversary Edition by Russ Berrie – Raggedy Ann is a timeless classic character spreading values of generosity, compassion, and love to generations of girls and boys around the world. This special doll commemorate the 95 years of friendship celebrated with Raggedy Ann and take us back to a simpler time when the little rag doll first captured our hearts. The Raggedy Ann 95th Anniversary Edition Doll is packaged in a window box and include a special commemorative certificate. This long-time favorite doll is 12″. Includes commemorative certificate, window book style box 1 plush doll (surface washable).

If you want more Raggedy Ann fun, here are some cute Raggedy Ann coloring pages and crafts:

• Raggedy Ann Coloring Pages
• Raggedy Ann and Andy Coloring Sheets
• Make a Raggedy Ann doll pin cushion
• Make a Raggedy Ann Clothes Pin Ornament
• How to make your own Raggedy Ann doll

And even more Raggedy Ann goodness:

Raggedy Ann Child Halloween Costume Child Rag Doll Costume – Raggedy Ann Guidecraft Raggedy Ann and Andy Toy Chest Raggedy Ann And Andy Blue Patch Fleece Raggedy Ann And Andy Stripe Flannel Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Read-aloud Treasury How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart Raggedy Ann and Andy Postcard Book The Real-For-Sure Story of Raggedy Ann

One of our readers, Madeline, recently rescued an antique Susan Strollers doll. She sent us the before photos (click here to see the before pictures of Susan Stroller) and now that the doll has had some TLC from Madeline and her Dad she looks so much better!

Madeline and her Dad did a great job and now this antique doll will have many more years of love coming her way! For more resources on restoring and identifying dolls, check out:

• Tips for Successful Doll Restoration
• Tips on Doll Repair and Restoration
• Just Magic’s Doll Restoration Tips
• The Handbook of Doll Repair & Restoration
• All About Doll Repair & Care: A Guide to Restoring Well-Loved Dolls
• From Worn to Wonderful: A Step-By-Step Guide to Fashion Doll Restoration

One of our readers, Madeline, recently rescued an old doll her Dad found and of course, we all want to see the pictures. As you can see from the first pictures, she is a little scary now but Madeline is going to try to fix her with her Dad’s help.

Here is a little about the doll in Madeline’s words:

Yesterday me and my mom were looking online to find out what kind of doll she is, she did not come up but based on the dolls we saw she is probably from the 1940′s or 50′s. She belonged to an older woman who collected dolls but when she died and her children came and got all her stuff, they apparently left this doll. My dad found her and showed her to me and hopefully we can fix her again. I don’t know why she has holes in her stomach, she wasn’t a speaking doll or anything. At least, she has no batteries. I am thinking about naming her Maggie, but I am still looking for suggestions.

Hello Again! It is Madeline. A little after I sent you the doll pictures, my mom did a little investigating and found the doll she was. Here is the link to a photo album of some of them. She is an Original Susan Strollers Doll by “Eegee” and she was supposed to walk, crawl, cry and things like that. I didn’t think the holes were for talking but I guess they really are! They don’t have any markings or things on their actual bodies, they came with tags that apparently came with hair curlers on them. The main thing you can identify them by is their holes in their stomachs.

Here are a few photos Madeline found when doing the research to identify her doll:

Susan Strollers doll tag

Susan Strollers doll advertisement

Original Susan Strollers doll

View of Susan Strollers holes on stomach

Thanks again Madeline for sharing these with us!! Please send in more pictures once you have her all cleaned up!