Thursday, October 17, 2013

Throwback Thursday: Lissi Batz Dolls - Part 1



During the 1990s as an unfocused doll collector, baby dolls and toddlers were included in my multitude of doll purchases.  If their medium was vinyl, that was a plus; and of course, if their complexions were deep and their aesthetics pleasing, they interested me enough to purchase. 

German-made Lissi Batz dolls usually fell into this category.  Several Lissi Batz dolls were sold through the Home Shopping Network (HSN) during the 1990s with Tina Berry most frequently hosting the shows.  As an avid HSN doll show viewer, Tina did not have to convince me to dial their 800 number to order Lissi dolls.  All I needed was the item number. 

After discovering that none of my books or other published works thoroughly document Lissi Batz dolls, I decided to create a two-part blog post series about them.  This post, the first of the two, will focus on the Lissi Batz dolls that use molds made in West Germany and Germany (after West and East became one country in 1990).

About the Lissi Batz dolls in my collection:
With the exception of the all-vinyl “unknown toddler,” all West Germany and German-made dolls have vinyl heads, ¾ vinyl arms and legs; brown cloth bodies that are signed “Lissi Batz” by Anneliese “Lissi” Schirdewahn-Batz.  Each doll has a hang tag which bears its name and a group image of Lissi dolls.  The West Germany and German-made dolls also have a certificate of authenticity (COA), the back of which illustrates four generations of doll makers from an 1851 fixed-limb doll through a 1958 plastic doll.  A full-length picture of each doll is also included with the historical development of dolls on the back.  On the nape of the neck of Lissi dolls are her initials "LB" enclosed within a triangle. 

The West Germany-made dolls’ Certificate of Authenticity (front) and back of COA (click to enlarge any photo)

Close-up of Unknown Toddler, described above.


Unknown Toddler
Height:  26 inches with bent baby legs
Hair:  Short, black rooted
Facial Characteristics:  Brown sleep eyes with closed, smiling mouth
Head and body:  Head and arms are soft vinyl, body and extremities are rigid plastic.
Clothing:  Redressed in infant’s size 3-6 months mint green and light blue check romper and white high-top baby shoes
Other:  This doll was purchased from another collector during the mid-1990s and probably dates back to the 1980s.  She bears the LB initials within a triangle on the nape of her neck below which are the numbers 70/20



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Scan from BD Book II


Rhea (whose location cannot be determined, which is the reason I used a scan from Black Dolls an Identification and Value Guide, Book II by Myla Perkins):
Height:   19-3/4 inches with straight legs
Hair:  Black rooted hair styled in two side ponytails with bangs; ribbons that match dress accent hair.
Facial Characteristics:  Brown sleep eyes, closed mouth. 
Clothing:   Pink polka dot dress with lavender polka dot overdress, white pantaloons, white socks, black vinyl Mary-Jane style shoes. 
Marked:  Made in West Germany (prior to the reunification of Germany), released in April 1992 sold through the HSN 






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Sheerah

Sheerah
Height:  21 inches with bent baby legs
Hair:  Black rooted hair styled in two side ponytails with bangs; has pink and lavender ponytail holders
Facial Characteristics:  Brown sleep eyes; open mouth with two upper molded/painted teeth.  
Clothing:  Lavender dress with blue floral-print mock overdress, white pantaloons, white socks, black vinyl shoes
Extra:  Has white wooden doll
Sheerah came with a doll stand and was made in Germany in the Lissi Doll Factory in April 1992.  Purchased through HSN’s outlet after having sold out through the HSN shopping channel, I went through great lengths with multiple phone calls to have the outlet locate and sell this doll to me. 



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Lanie

Lanie
Height:  21-1/2 inches with straight legs
Hair:  Light auburn hair styled in one top ponytail with the rest hanging loose
Facial Characteristics:  brown sleep eyes, closed mouth
Clothing:  Peach floral-print dress trimmed in white ruffled fabric, white pantaloons, white socks, black Mary Jane shoes
Extra:  Has white wooden doll and doll stand
Made in Germany in June 1992 in a limited edition of 1000 pieces; this is doll #48; sold through HSN.





  
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Aletha

Aletha
Height:  22 inches with bent baby legs
Hair:  Black rooted hair styled in two side ponytails and one top ponytail with bangs; white satin ribbons accent ponytails.
Facial Characteristics:  Brown sleep eyes; pouty mouth
Clothing:  White lace dress, gold hoop earrings, white socks with ribbons tied at ankles (no shoes)
Extra:  Came with a blue ribbon that bears a headshot of Lissi Batz and a doll stand.
Made in November 1994 as a limited edition of 500 pieces in Germany; sold through HSN, the last HSN Lissi doll made in Germany that I purchased. 






Part 2 will be published, Thursday, October 24, 2013.
 
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15 comments:

  1. Tina Berry! That name was a Blast from the past! Great post! Love the dolls!

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    1. Tina Berry lived (and may still live) in Florida and could probably sell some of their swampland without any effort. I know she she could embellish the value and need for the viewer to buy the dolls she presented, which, at the inception of HSN doll shows, were usually overpriced porcelain cookie cutters wearing those frou-frou dresses. Ironically, their doll shows included better quality dolls before they and eventually Tina Berry were axed.

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  2. OMG, Althea looks just like a little girl I used to play with. Her mouth was shaped the same way. It's kinda freaky actually.

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    Replies
    1. I bet Aletha's appearance is uncanny to you, Muff. I was drawn in by her pouty look. She needed a hug and I wanted to give it to her. She is one of the few Lissi Batz dolls whose mold was not overused. Actually, I have never seen it on another LB doll. If it were not for Aletha's bent baby legs (I prefer straight toddler legs), she would be my favorite of the ones I own.

      Although I pitched a near hissy fit and went through some obsessive measures to get Sheerah, Lanie holds that favorite spot.

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  3. Love these dolls. They are all so unique. I'm a big fan of the toddlers.

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  4. Thank You for your lissi Batz dolls I'll treasure them forever

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  5. Hi, I just found a Lanie doll at a thrift store, I love the information you have, it helped me to identify her. This doll looks just like my neice. I will love her forever.

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  6. Im looking for a doll i had as a child was given to me by my late brother the year he was murdered. 1991 i later lost her in a house fire i have been trying to track her down for years she looks just like the lissi dolls. And when pressed sang rockabye baby lullabye. Any help would be amazing?
    Thanks

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    Replies
    1. I'm not familiar with a doll that looked like the Lissi Batz dolls that sang rockabye baby. I hope you're able to find a replacement.

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  7. I have just purchased a Lissi doll. She is not black. She is 68cm tall. Blonde curly shoulder length hair. Blue open/close eyes. The trade mark is a triangle with a ?wishbone? and the Letter "B". Under that is 70/20. Does this doll have a name?

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    1. Your doll probably has a name. Unfortunately, the company used the same molds for different dolls. It would be impossible for me to know your doll's name based on the head markings alone. A photo would be helpful.

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  8. This is the most informative thing I've ever found on these dolls. I can't find a website or anything. Does the company exist anymore?

    Would you happen to be able to help me figure out what one I had? I've been trying for years! I so want to try and find a replacement for the one I had, as she'd been through such hell, despite how meticulously i cared for her :( she went through 2 fires, a mean older sister, and a flood, not undamaged! But remained my favorite toy ever.

    I wanna say I got mine around 2000-2002, it was for christmas. She looked unplayed with and complete, but i think was used as it never had a box or a nametag. So i dont know what year she came out. I actually thought her name was Lissi because she had a little white teddy bear sewn to her dress that had Lissi embroidered on it, and I have no idea how my mom found this doll (I'd never seen these dolls anywhere else) She looked kinda like Lanie, if not exactly the same face mold, but Caucasian, with a long blonde side pony, and blue eyes. She had a blue dress with a few embroidered flowers near the shoulders I think, blue cloth booties, white bloomers, and white socks, and the aforementioned white teddy bear with blue embroidered calligraphy. I've never seen mine in all my searching online. Not even one that was similar. :(

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  9. Thank you for complimenting this blog post. I'm not sure of the identity of the doll you described, but the Christmas doll in Part 2 on Lissi dolls sounds similar. Follow the link below to see if the Lissi Christmas doll is like the one you owned. Lissi Dolls Part 2

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