While rummaging in The Bold Doll toy cupboard, we found a few old friends from the past. They are not part of our current collecting habits, but nor are they quite ready for Marie Kondo – so we’ll be hanging on to them for a bit! They are shown in no particular order – just as we dragged them out from storage… and blew off the dust.
Debbie Drake the vintage posing fashion doll by Valentine, with many points of articulation – it’s not a new thing. One of many clone dolls produced in the 1960s in response to the success of Barbie. She is usually seen in her hot pink one-piece exercise suit, but today she decided to go au naturelle. Hope that’s her own bean bag she’s sitting on! Direct from mid-century Milan, a flirty-eyed toddler made from mache-plastic by the Ottolini factory. The manufacturer is better known today for the highly collectible Sonia fashion dolls, but all of their output was of a consistently high quality, the beautiful matte complexions they achieved on their dolls is something of a trademark.Mike Hazzard, the secret agent and master of disguise by Marx. There were no additional outfits or items to buy for this solidly-made doll, everything you need for hours of international espionage fun is right there in the box.Campbell Kids were first used as part of an advertisement for the Campbell Soup Company in 1904. The kids were created by Grace Drayton, a popular illustrator of the day. Campbell Kids were originally drawn as average boys and girls, but they later were dressed for special activities like sailing or football or working as police officers. The kids were used in magazine and newspaper ads until about 1951. They appeared again in ads in 1966; and in 1983 they were redesigned with a slimmer, more contemporary look. The dolls shown are mid-century 10-inch all vinyl dolls by the Horsman Doll Co under license from Grace Drayton.A Happyland porcelain doll, 17 inches tall, you can imagine that her eyes really do follow you round the room. With a spooky and altogether ooky haunted look, she wears a Victorian-inspired playtime outfit of a brown velvet shift dress with contrast bib and necktie bow. Her pantaloons are cropped to show stylish Mary Jane shoes with metal eyelet detail. Overall she’s a bit sepia-toned, but this only adds to her vintage charm. The doll’s hair is in in its original bob style and we’re assuming that she is wigged in real human hair, in an echo of Victorian dolls of the past. It certainly seems to have that texture. Probably not suitable as a boudoir doll, especially if you’re prone to nightmares!A bit of a departure for The Bold Doll – a china head doll, about 16 inches tall. This doll wears a yellow brocade dress, embellished with lace trim and blue ribbon, over lace-edged bloomers. She has china hands and forearms, and china lower legs and dainty blue china boots.There are some original imperfections to the china mold, which adds to the charm of this doll. We have no idea as to her age – and felt it would be rude to ask!A cheeky chap indeed. We don’t collect bears at all, but this one slipped through the net. The distinctive Cheeky Bear is a flagship Merrythought character dating back to the mid-1950s. This traditional teddy bear is made from velvety golden mohair and features carefully handstitched detail on his pure wool felt paws. As the signature of a true Merrythought Cheeky Bear, he features a jingle bell in each ear, and has glass eyes. He can be further identified by a tag on his foot ‘Merrythought, Ironbridge Shrops, made in England’. You can never have too many shoes.
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