Monday, August 11, 2014

Turning Heads: Tiffany Taylor and Taylor Jones

Tiffany Taylor - She's what you want her to be!

Black 19-inch Tiffany Taylor by Ideal has box dates of 1975 and 1974.  She has rooted hair that changes colors when the top of her head is turned.  Tiffany's eyes are brown and she has rooted eyelashes.  Her fashion consists of a gold lamé body suit with detachable full-length lime green skirt and lime green mules.

Tiffany arrived to her new homes in the mid 1970s from the factory with magnetic rollers in her hair.  My doll still has these as well as the protective plastic covers.   

My boxed doll arrived when purchased during the late-1990s mint in box.  Both versions of the doll (Black and white) use the same box.  Description and box graphics, however, include only the white doll.

The back of Tiffany Taylor's box illustrates the white doll and her two hair colors. 
While the Black version has auburn hair with a middle part that transforms to black with bangs when the top of her head is rotated, the white version, as indicated on the box, is a blonde that becomes a brunette. 
One side panel of the box illustrates the white doll wearing only her gold lamé body suit and mules.

Blonde Tiffany Taylor is shown on the other side panel dressed in her complete fashion:  gold lamé bodysuit and yellow full-length skirt.

Several extra boxed fashions were available for Tiffany Taylor.  One can be seen here.  The back of the boxed fashion includes black and white illustrations of others.  My first Tiffany Taylor, shown below, that was purchased without a box, is dressed in another original Tiffany Taylor fashion.*



My two Tiffanys

In this close-up of her gorgeous face, Tiffany's hair color has been changed to black.

Taylor Jones - You can turn her hair from dark to light and back again.


The following photograph illustrates the size difference between Tiffany Taylor and Taylor Jones.

The 11-1/2-inch Taylor Jones (friend of Tuesday Taylor) has a box date of 1976.  She wears an orange and white knit dress with white mules.  Like Tiffany, Taylor's hair changes from black to auburn by turning the top of her head.  The auburn side has bangs.  The black side has a middle part.  There was at least one other boxed version of Taylor Jones dressed in a red gown. 

Close-up of Taylor Jones. The doll uses the same head sculpt as Tuesday Taylor (the white counterpart).
The back of Taylor Jones' blister card illustrates how her hair color changes, two views inside her penthouse apartment, and some of her separately-sold fashions.

This image found on Pinterest shows Taylor Jones and Tuesday Taylor (the white counterpart) modeling what were 30 new fashions for 1977 from three collections made for these and other 11-1/2 inch fashion dolls. 

A compilation of 1970s commercials featuring Tiffany Taylor and Tuesday Taylor and available accessories does not feature or mention the Black dolls**.  The compilation can be viewed below:


*On her website, Beth Colvin provides in-depth information on Tiffany Taylor, which includes photographs of several different fashions, images of the instruction booklet, and another box which is not commonly seen today that was used for the doll. Go here to view Beth's Tiffany Taylor page.

**Tuesday Taylor Super Model was available as Black and white (using the same name this time).  Tuesday Taylor, Taylor Jones and Tuesday Taylor Super Model use the same head sculpt. Super Model wears a two-piece white pants suit with white shawl trimmed in hot pink fringe.  Her Fashion Stepper allows her to "walk" and swing her arms and hips.  Unlike Taylor Jones (and the original Tuesday Taylor) Tuesday Taylor Super Model has rooted hair that does not change colors.  Photos of the Black version and her box, illustrating the white doll, are shown below.

Tuesday Taylor Super Model uses the same head sculpt as Taylor Jones; her hair does not change colors.

The back of Tuesday Taylor's box illustrates the white doll and the Fashion Stepper.


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18 comments:

  1. I like the both!! You are so lucky to have them. There were just a little before my time but that Taylor Jones is cute and Ms. Tiffany is GORGEOUS!! She reminds me of your Lizettes, they have such darling faces. Talk about a throwback, the commercial had me laughing at myself when the two young girls were playing, remind me of my childhood with my friend Jamie and how we used to get together and play dolls and then argue over my Cara because I wouldn't share. I used to tell her her Barbie look like her and MY "barbie" looked like me so there was no need to share. lol. Lord knows if I had either one of those Taylors, no telling what I would do. She is much prettier than Barbie. Goodness you are so lucky to have them.

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    1. Hi Brini,

      Those vintage doll commercials are always interesting to watch.

      Although I rarely played dolls with others as a child, the Tiffany Taylor/Tuesday Taylor compilation reminds me of the alone time spent with dolls in the pretend world of Barbie and her friends.

      Until writing this post, do you know that I did not realize my Taylor Jones and Super Model Tuesday Taylor use the same sculpt? I had the two dolls' boxes on separate shelves which is why I guess I never put 2 and 2 together. Now they are together. I would really love to find a NRFB Taylor Jones in the red gown.

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  2. Congratulations on your beautiful dolls, DBG! I have the basic Taylor Jones - same issue as the one you have wearing the red bodysuit under the white knit miniskirt. Glad to have them although they do have big feet ;-)

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    1. Thanks, D7ana - I have had all three dolls since the '90s, but have never written an in-depth blog post on either.

      I must be color blind because Taylor's top looks orange to me.

      :-)

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  3. The dolls are super cool, but that Penthouse, WOW! What's really interesting is that such a 70's mod place is now totally back in fashion.

    The commercial made me giggle especially the "naturally" part. I'm pretty sure that's not natural..

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    1. Those were some lucky girls who owned the penthouse and other Tuesday Taylor accessories when imaginative play was still in.


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  4. I would have loved to have these dolls as a child. I would have worn Tiffany Taylor's hair out, rolling it, combing out the curls, rolling it, repeat every single day. These are all cool dolls. I want to see Tuesday Taylor walk and swing her arms and hips. I have a Barbie with hair that turns from black to blue by rotating her scalp.

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    1. I didn't realize Mattel gave Barbie a rotating scalp. Which one is that?

      I imagine that the hip swinging is more exaggeration than real. Super Model's legs probably just move back and forth on with the aid of the Fashion Stepper.

      There is a Taylor Jones like mine in the burnt orange and white on eBay. The seller wants $400 or best offer. Good luck to him or her with that!

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    2. I have photos of her in this blog post (wearing the green boots). I don't know who she is, but I think that she was in a singing group with other Barbies with rotating scalps. I have a playscale CD with her and 2 others on the cover.

      Yes, good luck to that seller. Does it ever make you want to sell your dolls when you see how much others sell theirs for on eBay?

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    3. Thank you Roxanne for sharing the link to swivel head Barbie's photo. I have ID'd her as Jam 'n Glam Christie and I totally need her. Thank you for "enabling" me.

      No, unless I have more than one of a doll (and I usually don't), I'm not tempted by some of the "asking" prices I have seen on eBay. Now if I see a selling price for something that I have a double of, I might be tempted to sell the extra, but that hasn't happened yet. I think the person who desires $400 for Taylor Jones is being a little too hopeful.

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    4. Well now that I've enabled you, my work here is done. :) Enjoy her, and thanks for the ID!

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    5. I don't have her yet. Waiting on a better price than I have seen. One will show up eventually. I have learned that haste makes waste. Patience saves.

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  5. Thanks for this post!! As you know I just found both versions of Tiffany Taylor! I think it’s fascinating that Tiffany was sold with curlers in her hair, such an odd packaging decision? I’m finding trying to track down fashions for this larger doll is so far a challenge, so it’s great to see that you’ve picked up a couple of examples. I’m almost tempted to purchase the hand made styles that are listed by sellers on Etsy or EBay just so both girls have something else to wear...something I’ve never done before, prefering official fashions for my dolls. As for Tuesday Jackson/Taylor I’ve always been intrigued and her fashions, accessories and playsets seem so much more fashion forward and sophisticated than even Barbie’s at the time?! Thanks for even more info on these favourite new additions!
    P.S. Don’t you You Love Beth Colvin’s Crissy site, she’s been super helpful identifying my Crissy dolls! :)

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed this post, Julius! Congrats again on finding both versions of Tiffany Taylor. I hope you are able to find some authentic fashions for both dolls. I have purchased some of the home made fashions made to fit TT sold on eBay by various sellers, but I understand your preference for official fashions.

      Beth's site and her book on Crissy dolls offer a wealth of information about the brand. Her book was a must-have for me.

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    2. So...I may now own three TT’s... The AA version was perfect, but when making over her sister I was brushing out the front of her hair and somehow I pulled a thread and her whole front of her hair line came off in the comb creating the appearance that she has a really high hairline (think Kristin Wiig as one of the Lawrence Welk singers skit from SNL)!!! I found one at a reasonable price and I have a reasonable eye when it comes to being able to see if a doll is rescuable and she definitely was, however her brunette side looked a little choppy and janky. I asked the seller for more photos and she obliged and a couple of days ago she arrived and after a little hair care both sides of her hair look great and I have the two TT’s together again, but I’ve superglued the cap of the original doll I bought so that she is eternally brunette...so, yeah three TT, with nothing but their original swimsuits & one over skirt between them...but I can’t stop playing with them they are such pretty dolls!

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    3. That was very unfortunate for the now eternally brunette, TT. I'm glad you were able to salvage her and that you were able to find a replacement. Do they not have their original shoes?

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    4. Two have their shoes and interestingly in slightly different shades of lime which is cute. The “Eternal Brunette” is shoeless...I’ll remedy this at some point I’m sure. 😉

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  6. Their original shoes can be hard to find and/or costly. I'm glad you have the two pairs.

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