More on My Brown Doll and Friends

I dusted the dolls on the office credenza and repositioned some to another area in the doll room to make room for Betty, my 1950s Pedigree Saucy Walker that was first introduced here.  I had to move several dolls in order to display Betty with similar dolls.

Betty is joined by two Saucy Walker types and a Roddy walker.  Looking on in the background are a 25-inch hard plastic Rita walker and a 27-inch hard plastic and composition mama doll whose arm was repaired recently.

In the photograph above, Betty is flanked by two Saucy Walker types made during the same time she was made.  They, however, were made in America, while Betty was made in England by Pedigree. Below is a close-up of Betty and the two Saucy Walker types.

I like Betty's coloring the best and her flirty eyes add to her appeal.

The American-made Saucy Walker types stand 22-1/2 and 22-inches.  They are both unmarked and were probably copycats of Ideal's 1950s Saucy Walker. I have not been able to document an authentic black Saucy Walker by Ideal.  So I applaud the manufacturers who took the initiative to make the black copycats I own.

The smallest doll in the first picture is a 13-inch Roddy walker, also made in England.  Her facial features are similar to Betty's and the doll in the green dress.  When her legs are moved in a walking motion, her suspended head turns from side to side.  A slight gap between her head and neck is designed to prevent the side-to-side head movement from rubbing against her neck.  I thought this was a flaw when I received the doll in May of 2009, but after investigating, I discovered this is actually how Roddy walkers were made. 

Front and center in red shoes is a head-turning walker by Rosebud.

While repositioning the dolls, I found another head-turning walker that I wanted to display with Betty and friends.  She is 17-inches, marked Made in England, has jointed knees, and her sleep eyes are either green or blue.  It's difficult to determine their true color.  She has been rewigged.  The seller described her as being made by Rosebud and said she appears in Frances Beard's book on hard plastic dolls.

Betty and her new friends described above are made of hard plastic which was widely used in the 1950s and eventually phased out here in America during the 1960s.

Where is Betty?

After photographing Betty with her similar friends, other vintage and modern dolls made from various materials were placed back on the credenza as illustrated in the final picture.  (They are all probably thrilled that Betty arrived because now they are dust free.) 


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My Brown Doll

The Internet is a very resourceful tool that has allowed me to connect with wonderful people throughout the past several years.  On the web, I have learned many new things from both men and women who reside in different cities, states, countries and continents.  I hope the exchange has been mutual and that the people whose lives I have entered have benefited from knowing me, if only for a day. 

My most recent Internet connection through email correspondence has been with Sally McLean of Gem Art Australia, where unique jewellery pieces from natural gemstones, pearls, vintage beads and other interesting components are created.  Sally did not write me to discuss her jewelry, however.

On August 13, 2013, along with the following email inquiry I received photo attachments:


Subject:  My Brown Doll

I have a doll that I was given for my 5^th birthday in December 1956. I remember the box and the excitement. As I am a December baby it’s the usual “Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas” thing.

She is stamped “Pedigree England” and is about 50cm (about 20 inches tall). She has her original shoes and has a sound device in her back – I think she used to say “Ma Ma”. She has pinky brown skin, red lips and two very white front teeth. Amber eyes that move side to side and her eyelids close. She has beautiful eyelashes. 

She has long acrylic hair that can be brushed but I think that wig may have been added later at the ‘doll’s hospital’ in Adelaide (Australia) as I think she had fixed mohair plaits when I got her. 

Do you know anything about this doll – is it of interest as being unusual or rare? I’d like to find her a good home. I have been carrying her around in a bag for over 50 years – it would be nice to see her loved and appreciated again. I have no daughters and no grandchildren. Not looking for money but would require packaging and postage paid.

I saw one on UK eBay and they called it a PEDIGREE Delite 20" Mulatto/Dusky Toddler and it sold for $GBP218. 

Cheers 
Sally 
Adelaide 
Australia

It was 4 a.m. and Sally's email was one of the first I read that morning prior to taking my first sip of coffee and beginning my workday.  I incorrectly assumed she only sought her doll's ID and value.  In my initial reply, I referred her to two Pedigree doll aficionados*.  In a subsequent email, Sally corrected my confused thinking and iterated that she wanted to find a new adoptive home for her doll and offered her to me for the cost of her travel (postage).  Because of my huge affection for dolls made during the 1950s, I was thrilled to accept Sally's doll, but more honored after learning that she had been Sally's only doll in her lifetime!  What-an-honor she was bestowing on me.

Sally provided the following additional information with one request after I agreed to adopt her brown doll:

The shoes are original and the dress (made of gingham) was made by my mother who was a professional dressmaker and died this year (aged 92). I don’t know if you name your dolls but if you could call this one “Betty” (my mother’s name) that would make me happy... I am just starting to appreciate ‘history’ and I am in awe of people like yourself who admire and preserve it.

Before the travel arrangements and expenses were determined and paid, like a true mother, Sally explained to Betty what was in store for her.  She tidied her clothing and provided me with additional history:

I have told Betty she is going on holidays and that at last she will have some friends. She was my only doll. My sister (4 years older) had 2 dolls – but they were smaller, and white, and I always felt my doll was so superior. Oddly enough I don’t recall her having a name other than “Dolly”... 

I washed and ironed her dress and knickers today. They came up remarkably well. I had to put new elastic in her knickers – the old stuff had perished. Can’t have a girl going abroad with her panties falling down! I cleaned her shoes, combed her hair and found a red hair ribbon for her hair.

  

Before her departure, Betty was also given new laces for her shoes.

(A mother's love never ends and a new mother's love is a joyful experience.)




I wondered how Sally found me and without even asking, in another email, she explained:

I recently found ‘Dolly’ zipped up in a bag deep in a dark closet and felt very sad for her. I didn’t want her sitting on the couch, nor did I want to give her to a child, nor did I want to auction her off. I did a bit of Googling in an attempt to find out some details about her and found your name, your blog and your book and just thought “This lady loves black dolls” and I was so pleased. 

(I am so glad I was found!)

As indicated in the above snapshot of Betty's tracking, she departed Australia for the States on 08/21/2013 and arrived in the US on 08/24/2013.  She had an extended delay in the Customs Department at LAX and was finally released and delivered to my post office box on 09/03/2013.  I picked her up yesterday and am thoroughly pleased.

As I indicated to Sally, she is near perfect and in such pristine condition.  It is evident that she was a loving mother.  I love Betty's flirty eyes -- eyes that follow the movement of her head when it is moved to either side. This enhances her appeal and character.  I will continue to love this delightful little girl, hopefully for 50 more years.

Betty has settled in nicely and made several friends.

 *At my suggestion, prior to Betty's departure, Sally contacted Susan Brewer of British Doll Showcase, to seek Betty's true ID.  Ms. Brewer, who has written several doll reference books, replied:

Hi Sally,

What a beautiful doll! I don't think she has any special name as such, she is a dusky brown Saucy Walker, made in the early to mid 1950s. Yes, she would originally have had plaits.

Best wishes,

Sue

Thanks again, again, and again Sally! 

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