My absolute favorite baby dolls used to be
MiBeBe dolls made in Spain. These are 27-inch, vinyl and cloth dolls made for the play market. Their realism (size and appearance) was unmatched by American-made dolls of the same 1980s era. They are attributed to Berjusa, which I believe is now Berenguer, but the MiBebe dolls only bear the mark: b.b. / Made in Spain. They have closely rooted black hair, brown sleep eyes, and pacifiers with a wired crying mechanism. However, none of the 6 that I own have ever worked.
Coochie Coo/Coochy Coo/Cuchi doll (I have not been able to confirm his actual name) is another mechanical doll by Berjusa marked BB, from the 1980s, further described above (click image to enlarge). My doll is mute.
Berjusa – 16 and 21-inch, all vinyl sleepers; smaller doll’s hair rooted by manufacturer; larger doll (La Baby) was rooted by a reborn artist; originally manufactured in the 1990s. The smaller doll may be a La Baby, too, but I not certain.
Berjusa – 21-inch, all vinyl, anatomically correct boy, originally had molded hair and no eyelashes; usually came dressed only in diaper. His hair was rooted by a reborn artist. Made in the 1980s. I purchased him on the secondary market along with the smaller sleeping doll above.
Berjusa – 21-inch, all-vinyl, anatomically correct girl, originally had molded hair and no eyelashes; rerooted by a reborn arist. Made in the 1980s-1990s. This doll was also purchased on the secondary market for $12 with her original box.
Berjusa –
Baby Joselle, boy and girl, 19 inches, vinyl with cloth bodies; boy has blue sleep eyes; girl has hazel sleep eyes. Both have dark brown, closely rooted hair. Made in 1984.
Diana Collection babies by Berjusa, 1993, further described above (click image to enlarge).
Berjusa –
Tanya is a 19-inch, all vinyl, anatomically correct, chubby doll with curly brown, rooted hair and hazel eyes. She has a certificate of authenticity (seen below) which indicates she is from 1989. Tanya wears her original outfit. After photographing
Tanya for this blog and before returning her to her position of display, I pierced her ears.
See Spain
Part 2 for additional dolls made in Spain by other manufacturers.
dbg
Hi, I have just discovered your blog. I am a Spanish collector of BB dolls (BB is the commercial name of the brand/trademark).
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you have more catalogue pictures of the different caucasian MI-BEBÉ dolls (blonde hair + brown eyes). I own a couple of caucasian MI-BEBE dolls. I would love to see the ones in your collection.
I also do own 2 of the caucasian COOCHIE-COO dolls (a boy and a girl) but the name COOCHIE-COO is NOT CORRECT AT ALL, it must be an error from the magazine or the book. They are originally called BEBE DULZON. Just a few of them were made in 1981 and their production stopped just a year later. They are very hard to find nowadays. I wonder if you do have more catalogue pictures as I would love to have them.
Thank you so much. It is great to know there are collector of Spanish dolls in USA. Hugs.
Thank you for providing the correct name of the "Coochie/Coochy-Coo" doll and for the additional information about the year and duration of its manufacture. I will update my records accordingly. I only have dark skinned dolls by BB (MiBeBe) in my collection, but I was able to locate a website that showcases several Caucasian versions. Copy and paste the following URL into your browser to view:
ReplyDeletehttp://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=doll*mom.
Thanks again for the information.
dbg
I knew that website, thanks a lot. Anyway I would love to see all of your MI-BEBE black dolls and also the BEBÉ DULZON if you have any of them. I agree with you, these dolls are just wonderful (all versions). Pity that their production was very short and it just lasted for a couple of years (Mi-Bebe production was a bit longer but not that much). They are still extremely hard to find in the secondary market. They are VERY RARE to find through Ebay though.
ReplyDeleteHugs and I'll be waiting impatiently for your pictures. Thanks a lot.
Okay. I'll photograph my six MiBebe dolls and my Cuchi-Cuchi/Bebe Dulzon and write another blog soon. I shared the name information you shared about the Cuchi-Cuchi doll with another collector who wrote:
ReplyDelete"The note about the dolls sounds like the gal I write to occasionally. But maybe not. She is in Spain and tried to find me the baby like yours [the black Cuchi-Cuchi]. Well, she did but they didn't want to ship them to the US. She also called them Dulzon but the blonde, brown eyed boy I have that is the same size as your baby is wearing his original romper and shirt and the romper plainly says 'Cuchi Cuchi' on the front of it. I wonder what Dulzon means?"
I think you are a bit confused... Let me explain... There are a couple of CUCHI-CUCHI dolls but they are not BLACK, only caucasian (boy and girl with blonde hair and brown eyes). They have lower teeth and wide open mouth. Same size of BEBE DULZON but DIFFERENT FACES and limbs. The Cuchi-Cuchi's were released LATER than the BEBE DULZON (around 1983) and their production lasted for one year only. I also do own a Cuchi-Cuchi girl and yes, their original outfit included an embroidered name CUCHI CUCHI.
ReplyDeleteThe BEBE DULZON is the one in this picture of the magazine(they have called him COOCHIE-COO which is not correct). BEBE-DULZON means BIG SWEET BABY and they were the first BIG dolls of this type (1981). Cuchi-Cuchi came later.
Do you have an email address where I can email you?... I can send you some pics for you to see the differences.
HUGS.
I wrote the Black-doll reference book that the Black Coochi-Coo/Cuchi-Cuchi or Bebe-Dulzon (as you refer to him) is featured in. The book, The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls was published in 2003. I purchased my doll in the 1990s on the secondary market from another collector who identified him as "Coochi-Coo," which obviously is a variation of the name Cuchi-Cuchi, but at the time the book was published, the only name information I had was what was provided by the seller. Then I met another collector who has longed to own a Black doll like mine, who owns one of the white Cuchi-Cuchi dolls. So, I began referring to my doll as Cuchi-Cuchi (post the book's publication). Finally, you indicate that he is Bebe-Dulzon. I appreciate your information. You can email me at: blackdolls@sbcglobal.net. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing additional photos.
ReplyDeleteI have the original African American Coochy coo Doll, It is a Girl! Coochy Coo is stamped on her tummy. On the back of her neck is printed ertl 2775WT. She is in very good condition and so cute! I would love to find out the value of this doll. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI really wish I could find the girl Joselle. I had one until I was 17, I threw her away because she had become so worn and I thought I was "grown". It was a hard thing to do. I got her as a hand me down from an older cousin, who told me her name was Jo-say-ah, so I called her.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I would have kept my Berjusa Girl Joselle doll. I got her as a hand me down from an older cousin, she was in bad shape. Her head was a loose when I found her, her body was torn, the foam stuff always came out, and the tip of her sucking thumb was bitten off. I fixed her the best way I could and took very good care of her. I loved her so much. Despite all of her flaws she was always and still is the best looking and made Black play baby doll I ever saw.
ReplyDeleteI had a little girl in 2007 who reminded me so much of this doll!! I didn't name her Joselle though I did think about it!
ReplyDeleteHi Iluvdolls,
DeleteI'm sorry you had to post so many times. This blog is set up for me to approve comments made to posts that are older than 14 days.
I am sorry that you discarded your Joselle and hope you are able to find another one. I would suggest searching eBay for "black doll Spain" or "black Berjusa doll" as most people will not know the doll's manufactured name is Joselle.
My daughter, who is probably your age, received the girl Joselle when she was around 7 or 8 as a gift from my sister. After a few years we eventually threw it away because the head kept falling off. My sister purchased it because it reminded her of my son. It, to her, was the most beautiful black doll she had ever seen. I regretted having discarded the doll after I became a collector and knew that it would have been very simple to repair the head with a cable tie. But later, I found the boy and then the girl that is identical to the one my daughter had.
Hope you're able to replace your doll soon.
dbg
Hi. Thanks for responding. I've searched for her but I guess it will just take a while to find her. If you ever come across another do keep me in mind. I'll give you all the BBQ and pies your heart desires(I own a BBQ joint lol). Thank you for all of the doll information, it's a pain to find dolls that represent us, but its also a comfort to find someone so adamant about them and their origins.
DeleteLots of love,
Frenchy
Hey, I found her on eBay for 12 bucks + shipping n yada yada but I'm so ecstatic to have my baby back! She should be here Thursday. Thank you for your blog!!
DeleteI found her. I'm so excited, she'll be here Thursday in her OG outfit! I didn't bid I went straight to buy now!
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! So glad you were able to find your long lost doll in the original outfit and at an awesome price! I would have done a buy it now, too. Congratulations!
Deletedbg
Hello ^_^ I have just found your blog and I'm delighted. I am a Brazilian collector of dolls, really in love with them. Here in Brazil, it wasn’t very common to find black dolls when I was a kid in the 80s (actually, it isn’t still, what is an interesting fact, since 70% of the population is Afro descended). So they are rare and very coveted by collectors. I have a few, but my favorite is a Bebezinho, of Estrela, from 1999. I would like to invite you to meet her. http://mydollcollectiongigifernandes.blogspot.com.br/2014/08/bebezinho-estrela-1999.html Congratulations on the blog, I am enchanted by the beautiful dolls that I found here.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and for commenting Regiane. I have become aware of the black-doll deficiency in Brazil through fellow blogger, Jorge Ramiro. Visit his blog at the URL: http://clickingdolls.blogspot.com.
DeleteThis deficiency unfortunately is widespread globally. Until more people of color become doll makers on a mass production level and also receive purchasing support from the doll-buying community at large, I do not foresee any change.
Thank you for sharing the link to your favorite baby. I understand why Bebezinho of Estrela warms your heart.
Thank you again for visiting. I hope you will return.
dbg
Hi I have a Spanish black doll looks African I love it I bought half a dozen 1985 from a gift fair for my shop.. I have never seen them since I know I had mice eat one of their toes but I fixed it up can't notice it... They look lovely showing off my babywear products along with the white one the vinyl is very good quality to the china made and the style is very nice compared to the US dolls I have been a doll collector for many moons have to start parting with them …
ReplyDeleteI would love to see pictures of your doll.
Deletedbg
Boy, those Berjusa dolls are to die for!
ReplyDeleteFor baby doll collectors (back in the day), they were to die for. :-)
Deletedbg
I have a first edition Berjusa Tanya Black doll from 1989 with COA in excellent condition with original clothing and box for sale.
ReplyDeleteHello I Am Looking For Any cuchi cuchi toddler-size doll I think the doll I am looking for is Around 25 inch I Would Love To Find In like New condition or in Box Also I am interested in Caucasian or Black Skin Tones.Thank You So Very Much
ReplyDeleteTry searching eBay for the doll by name or "baby doll made in Spain" or similar key words. There may be dolls for sale in Facebook doll groups dedicated to baby dolls, dolls in general, or dolls made in Spain. Good luck in your search.
DeleteLoooove this blog.
ReplyDeleteI am purchasing a NIB Black Mi Bebe 27" tomorrow morning!! I am over the moon. Very rare to find in Canada.
Congratulations to you. The MiBeBe dolls are becoming increasingly difficult to find. I am happy for you. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Delete