Twinkie or My Fair Baby?

Circa 1960s Twinkie by Effanbee looks similar to the Dolls Test dolls currently on display in the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  The museum has one white doll and one black doll, dressed in diapers only.  Photo of a photo in Effanbee a Collector's Encyclopedia 1949-Present

Twinkie
After viewing online pictures of the "Dolls Test" dolls on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), I wanted to know more about the dolls other than their copyright year and the manufacturer's name, 1968 and Effanbee, respectively.  The museum label indicates "these and other dolls" were used in the Dolls Test.  They were donated to the museum by the Clark's daughter.  The 1968-marked dolls were used many years after the first 1940s Dolls Test dolls.  The first dolls used were purchased from a Harlem Woolworths for 50 cents.

Links to the museum's black doll and white doll were sent to the Facebook group Let's ID Our Dolls with a request for help with the doll's name.  One member replied, identifying the dolls as Effanbee's Twinkie.

Using Google, I found this image of a black Effanbee doll labeled as Twinkie from 1968.  The doll's widow's peak looks similar to that of the dolls in the museum.  This Pinterest image of a nude black doll is also described as Effanbee's Twinkie.  Its description indicates the doll has its original hang tag.  Effanbee's hang tags usually bear the doll's name.  However, hang tag images were not shown for either of the above two dolls.  In this completed eBay auction, this black doll has a hang tag that reads "Twinkie."  The doll was described as being from the 1980s but nothing else regarding the doll's marks was included in the description.  The "circa 1980s" timeframe could have been a seller error.  These three dolls look like the dolls in the NMAAHC.

I shared this information with another doll enthusiast whose series of questions led to further research.

I had already referenced John Axe's book, Effanbee a Collector's Encyclopedia 1949-Present, which was published by my first publisher, Hobby House Press, Inc., in 1994.  Axe's book shows that Twinkie was in Effanbee catalogs for the years, 1959-1967; 1970-1983, and 1984-1986.  Note that 1968 is not included.

From the index of Axe's book, the parenthetical dates indicate the years in which Twinkie was made.  This is followed by the various page numbers in the book which contain either catalog text and/or images of Twinkie.  The book includes very few images of Twinkie and none were of the black doll.

Based on the from-to dates, it is safe to assume that the 1959-1967 dolls used the same head sculpt and that the head sculpt was changed in 1970 and changed again in 1984.

Referring to the pages in the book (illustrated above) on which these catalogs appear, none of the Twinkie dolls are listed as having been "Negro," which is the racial identity term Effanbee used in their catalogs for these years with an "N" placed behind the dolls' stock number and "Negro" spelled out in the associated description.

Why is the "Negro" version of Twinkie not listed in any of Effanbee's catalogs in Axe's book and why is Twinkie not listed in black or white versions in the 1968 catalog in the book?  Did Axe not include some catalog information in his book, or were the dolls manufactured after the catalogs were published?

My Fair Baby

Effanbee's My Fair Baby from 1968 is shown in a screen-captured photograph.

A Google search for "1968 Effanbee Doll" led me to a Ruby-Lane-sold doll by Effanbee named My Fair Baby.  Since the link to Ruby Lane's actual buy page no longer exists, the doll is shown in a screen capture above. This doll also looks like the museum dolls.

From the index of Axe's book, the parenthetical dates indicate the 10-year span in which My Fair Baby was made.  This is followed by the page numbers in the book which contain catalog text.  There is only one image of the 1960s rooted-hair version of My Fair Baby in the book and that doll has blonde hair.  There are no images of a black My Fair Baby in the book.

According to Axe's book, My Fair Baby was on the market from 1958-1968.  Voila! (I think.)  The last year of manufacture matches the year the museum indicates as the year their donated dolls were manufactured.  The 1968 catalog in Axe's book also lists a 14-inch black version of the doll with molded hair and with rooted hair as indicated by the "N" that follows the stock number in the next image.

Shown in the above scan from Effanbee's 1968 catalog in Axe's book, My Fair Baby was available as a black doll (4461N and 4481N) with molded and rooted hair, respectively.  Like these versions of My Fair Baby, Effanbee dressed all My Fair Baby and Twinkie dolls from prior and subsequent years in baby-style clothing.  Unlike the museum's donated dolls, none of these dolls were released wearing a diaper only.

To make the dolls' gender ambiguous, I believe the Clark's replaced the dolls' original clothing and created diapers using cotton waffle-weave cloth; or, the donated dolls were nude and the museum added the cloth diapers.

Summary

Side-by-side pictures of the black doll donated to the NMAAHC and the Ruby Lane doll sold as My Fair Baby

I am not positively certain which doll was donated to the museum but based on the year, 1968, it seems plausible that the dolls are black and white versions of Effanbee's 1968 My Fair Baby dressed in replaced diapers.

As a side note, since 1960s-1980s Twinkie appears to share the same sculpt as My Fair Baby.  Could it be that the name, My Fair Baby, was discontinued after 1968 and the mold continued in use for Twinkie?   This would explain the reason for the eBay auction for a black circa 1980s Twinkie that looks like the 1960s doll.  The fact that Axe's book does not document black versions of Twinkie could be an oversight on the author's part and/or Effanbee's failure to include the doll in their catalogs.  Human error is always a possibility.

Related Post:
Simple Justice and see the links at the end of the Simple Justice post.

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There is always something to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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Muhammad Ali The GOAT

In 1986 Effanbee captured this great likeness of Muhammad Ali in doll form.

Growing up in a house full of men:  three brothers and my father, one of them was bound to enjoy sports. They all loved boxing and would watch boxing matches on TV whenever they aired. I was never a fan of that or any sport, but particularly boxing, which I find to be brutal and senseless.  I do not like pain and do not like to see it inflicted upon anyone else, especially intentionally.

Why two men would dress in trunks and prance around in a boxing ring to brutalize one another for as many rounds as it took for one to be defeated, or for the match to be ended by the referee to stop the brutality, was beyond my scope of reasoning. But whenever Muhammad Ali was in the ring and before things became too brutal, I'd watch him fight for a while.  I found his pre-fight bragging and boasting about what he was going to do to his opponent fascinating, and more times than not, his predictions came true within the round he predicted.

From the "I am the Greatest" Great Moments in Sports Series #7652 by Effanbee 1986, made for one year only, this 18-inch, all-vinyl Muhammad Ali doll wears a replica of Everlast white satin, red-trimmed boxing trunks with matching robe, red boxing gloves, and white faux leather boxing shoes.  The boxed doll includes instructions on posing and a signed letter  from Muhammad Ali.  See next photo.

Muhammad Ali is the only boxer, professional or otherwise, that I have ever admired because he was his own man, who refused to be defined by others' rules and their attempted exploitation.  Even at the expense of almost losing his career and becoming financially destitute because he didn't play by their game, he remained steadfast in his convictions. Overall he triumphed in his fight to maintain and practice his Islamic faith and was able to return to the sport that he so dearly loved, boxing.

One of Ali's greatest rivals in boxing was Joe Frazier (Smokin' Joe).  The two were captured in 12-inch action-figure form in this Ali vs. Frazier boxed set by Starting Lineup, 1998.

It is unfortunate that the brutality of boxing eventually led to Ali's diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and his physical deterioration and demise.  This grave diagnosis was most probably his greatest battle, over which he did not become the victor.

Muhammad Ali, January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016.  He is still the GOAT.  May he rest in powerful peace.
(Internet-captured photo).

Muhammad Ali, born January 17, 1942, died last night, June 3, 2016.  He was undeniably, as he often proclaimed, the greatest of all time (the GOAT).  I imagine he is still floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, just on a higher level.  (Rumble, young man, rumble!)


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Buttercup Trixie and Predecessors

Buttercup Trixie's first photo upon arrival

Buttercup Trixie by Effanbee (Tonner) is part of the Patsy family of dolls dating back to 1928.  Designed for Effanbee by Bernard Lipfert, a trained sculptor, most, if not all, Effanbee dolls, including the Patsy family, came with a metal gold tone beaded chain bracelet with a heart-shaped Effanbee charm.  The charm usually reads:  Effanbee Durable Dolls on one or both sides.  The opposite side might bear the doll's name. 

The metal charm bracelet accompanied the first of the new era Patsys in the mid-2000s.  This was eventually discontinued and replaced by a paper wrist tag.  The newer dolls were also given a facelift by Robert Tonner after he acquired the company in the mid-2000s.

A gold tone Effanbee beaded bracelet with metal charm is shown above along with the front and back of a heart-shaped paper wrist tag.   Use of the metal bracelet and charm dates back to vintage Effanbee dolls.  Some contemporary dolls (pre-Tonner acquisition) have both the metal bracelet and paper tag.

11-inch Patsy Jr. by Effanbee, all composition, circa early 1930s, still has her Effanbee gold tone, heart-shaped bracelet that bears her name on back, "Patsykin."

My earliest Black Patsy family doll, Patsy Jr., is from the early 1930s.  Patsy Jr. is a composition doll of 11 inches with three Topsy-style braids and otherwise black painted hair.  Other composition Black Patsy family members were also made.

In her book, Effanbee Dolls That Touch Your Heart (Collector Books 1983), Patricia R. Smith indicates brown-skin versions of the 9-inch Patsyette were made in 1931.  She further writes, "Effanbee made Patsy Baby-kin and Baby Grumpy into a black doll with three tufts of yarn hair."  According to Smith, this doll must be marked Effanbee in order to be authentic, as there were others made by other companies during this time.  Patsy Baby was added to the Patsy family after Amos and Ruby (of the Amos 'N Andy Show) "gave birth" to Amosandra during the1936 radio broadcast season.  Smith shares that listeners of the radio show showered the imaginary baby (Amosandra) with gifts, including dolls.

The white radio actress, Elinor Harriot, who portrayed Ruby during the 1930s broadcast of Amos 'N Andy can be seen here holding a large Black (non-Effanbee) doll and surrounded by a variety of other dolls.  Those with three tufts of hair in the photograph appear to be Effanbee's Patsy Baby-kin, also known as Patsy Baby. (These were some of the apparent gifts listeners sent in to welcome Amos and Ruby's new baby.)


In addition to Patsy Jr. and the Amosandra (Patsy Baby) and Patsyette dolls mentioned in Smith's book, Cynthia Lisa Ferguson, a fellow collector, shared that Effanbee also made the following Black Patsy family members:  14-inch Patsy, Skippy (boy),  Patsy Joan a 16-inch curly head mold, 19-inch Pasty Ann, 24- and 26-inch Pasty Lou, and 27-inch Patsy Ruth.  

All above dolls, except Grumpy, Champ, and the composition dog, are part of the original Effanbee Patsy family.  L-R:  Grumpy, a compo pooch, 14-inch Patsy in red hood, 24-inch Pasty Lou, Champ, Patsy Baby/Amosandra (seated), and 27-inch Patsy Ruth.  Photo courtesy of CLF Doll Collection

Using the original molds, during the 1980s and well into the early 2000s Effanbee began reproducing vinyl versions of their most popular Patsy family dolls.  Shown below are the reproduced Effanbee and Tonner-owned Effanbee Patsys that I own. Certainly, there are others, which are absent from my collection and therefore not included here.

1987 Shirley's Dollhouse-exclusive Black Patsy Boy and Patsy are all-rubber-like vinyl, 14 inch-dolls.

©1994 Patsy Joan is a 16-inch vinyl replica of the original 1949 composition doll.  Patsy Joan's firm and shiny vinyl was designed to simulate composition.  Her gold tone Effanbee charm, which she wears as a necklace, is hidden by her dress.

1996 Limited Edition Patsy Ornament is 3-1/2 inches tall, hand painted, and made of resin.

9-inch Patsyette Christmas Gift Box Set Grand Finale  is a 1998 vinyl replication of the original 1931 Patsyette that Smith recognized in her book.

9-inch, all-vinyl Patsyette (©1996) and Patysette Beach Time Basic (2005); Beach Time was made after Tonner took ownership of Effanbee.  Both dolls wear their gold tone Effanbee charms as necklaces.

5-inch Wee Patsy was reproduced in vinyl by Effanbee in 2000 and the first time as an African American in this size.  The first Wee Patsy dolls were 6-inch composition dolls and a brown version was made, circa 1932.  These vinyl little ones did not come with a charm but do or did have heart-shaped paper Effanbee wrist tags.  The brown doll is missing her paper tag.

14-inch Porcelain Patsy is a year-2000 replica of the original 1928 doll.  (The original Black doll was made during the early 1930s in composition).  Porcelain Patsy is a skater, made in a limited edition of 1500.

Shortly after Tonner acquired Effanbee, the original Patsy molds were discontinued.  New head sculpts with wider faces and different body molds for all Patsy family dolls appeared in 2005 with copyright dates of 2004.

14-inch, all-vinyl Patsy Rosebud and Patsy Birthday Best ©2004 received new head and body sculpts by Tonner.  Both have rooted curly hair, paper wrist tags and gold tone Effanbee charm bracelets.

10-inch Lil' Rose (2004) and Sweet Surprise (2005) are new Patsy family members with new head sculpts.  Lil' Rose has vinyl head and arms and a hard plastic body.  Her hair is wigged.  Sweet Surprise is all vinyl with rooted hair. 

10-inch, all-vinyl Buttercup Trixie has a new Patsy head sculpt and body.  Her hair is a wigged Afro.   The elbows, wrists, and knees are jointed, a first for any Patsy family doll.

The newest Patsy family member is Buttercup Trixie, shown above after being liberated from her box.  Her hair has been styled and the ribbon repositioned. 

The little girl in this photo, has a similar hairstyle and dress as Buttercup Trixie.  The photo can be found when searching Google images for "Circassian girls."  It has also been pinned on Pinterest boards and used in blogs on Circassian girls.  During the late-1800s through early-1900s, the photographer, Charles Eisenmann is known to have photographed many "Circassian beauties."

Buttercup Trixie took two additional photos shown below:

The girls in yellow joined Trixie for a group photo. 

In this final photo, because the two display well together, Trixie posed with All-Natural Lizette (who is not a Patsy family member). Trixie holds a doll she claimed as her own, Sydney, from the Only Hearts Club line.

About the Newest Patsy-Family Member
Trixie is a 10-inch, honey skin-toned, all vinyl and hard plastic doll with jointed elbows, wrists, and knees.  She has large brown inset eyes with applied eyelashes.  Her wigged Afro had the pink ribbon sewn to the side.  I removed the stitch and repositioned the ribbon away from her face.   Trixie wears a pale yellow cotton, lace-trimmed dress with three pale pink roses at the neck.  The dress has an attached yellow satin lining.  Yellow lace tights with attached white panties and yellow faux leather shoes complete her outfit. 

Trixie also comes as a basic doll, ready for dressing.  Basic Trixie was shown as temporarily unavailable on the Tonner website at the time this post was composed.



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Book-Featured Dolls by Tonner - Part 2

Deena, Effie, and Lorelle "Dreamettes Back-up Singers" by Tonner Doll Company

Dolls by Robert Tonner and Effanbee (now a Tonner-owned company) made several appearances in Black Dolls: A Comprehensive Guide to Celebrating, Collecting, and Experiencing the Passion (Book 2). These include on pages 132-133 the 16in/40.64cm "Dreamettes Back-up Singers," Deena, Effie, and Lorelle, inspired by the Dreamworks/Paramount film based on the hit Broadway Musical, Dreamgirls. The dolls are not portraits of the actresses who played the roles in the movie but are just as lovely and in, Effie's case, just as curvaceous.

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Ready to Wear Esmé, Basic Russell Williams #1, Russell Williams and "Dinner with Russell" Esmé 

In Book 2, Ready To Wear Esme and first-issue Russell Williams appear on page 133.  For those who are not familiar with the Tyler Wentworth and Matt O'Neill series of dolls, Esmé is Russell's girlfriend.   She is friend of and model for Tyler (a fashion designer) while Russell is best friend of Tyler's boyfriend, Matt. 

Russell's photograph was shared by Ruth Manning.  He makes an additional appearance on page 388 in a close-up photograph with Dinner with Russell, Esmé, the latter photograph courtesy of Manya Elliott.

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The petite 10in/25.4cm Basic Dottie and Fashion Plate Dottie are featured on pages 134-135.  Dottie is from the Tinny Kitty collection.  Basic Dottie also enjoys a redress on page 369 in Book 2 where she shares her ability to wear Barbie Fashion Avenue fashions (minus the shoes).

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The doll that would be my favorite Tonner doll for quite some time (and still is among my favorites), the lovely and very tall (22in/55.88cm) American Models Basic African American appears on page 135 in Book 2.  The doll has a striking resemblance to my late brother who coincidentally passed away in 2007, the year of her release.  I named my doll Rihanna and also featured her on pages 369 and 370 dressed in authentic American Model fashions.  A close-up image of Rihanna on page 384 in Book 2 illustrates her undeniably gorgeous face.  (Ronald I still miss you, and yes, I am still collecting dolls.)

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Effanbee Dolls under the Tonner doll-company umbrella:  Baby Button Nose Basically Emilee (center) , holds Wee Patsy; Patsy Rosebud and Patsy Birthday Best stand on the back, to the left and right of Basically Emilee.  Patsyette Sweet Surprise and Patsyette Lil' Rose stand on the front, to the left and right of Basically Emilee

The dolls in the image above, featured on pages 159 and 161-162 in Book 2, were not sculpted by Tonner, but were manufactured by a company Tonner acquired in 2002, Effanbee Doll Company.  The center doll, Baby Button Nose "Basically Emilee," was sculpted by Ann Timmerman.  Patsy Rosebud and Patsy Birthday Best share the same sculpt, which might also be attributed to Timmerman. Patsyette Sweet Surprise and Patsyette Lil' Rose are 9in/22.86cm Timmerman-appearing sculpts.  Wee Patsy and Patsyette Beach Time Basic appear to use the original Effanee sculpts.   

Toni Sunday Best was produced in a limited edition of 500 by Effanbee (a Tonner-owned co.)

Images and information on two additional non-Tonner sculpted dolls appear on pages 163-164 of Book 2, School Picture Day Libbie (sculpted by Ann Timmerman) from 2007 and Toni Sunday Best from 2006.  These two dolls were also Effanbee manufactured, Libbie as an original sculpt and Toni as a reproduction of the original 1949 doll.  It should be noted, however, that Tonner's Toni is the first African American doll to use this sculpt, as Ideal Toy Corp. (the original manufacturer of the Toni doll) never made a dark skinned version.

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Tiny Friends of Tiny Betsy McCall, L-R:  2002 Betsy McCall Convention Dru, Party Pink Dru, and Classic Stripes Dru; 14-inch Sitting Pretty Dru stands in back.

Dolls featured in Book 2 on pages 216-218 include:  Classic Stripes Dru, Party Pink Dru, and the 2002 Betsy McCall Convention Dru.  Because I did not attend the convention and was forced to buy the doll on the secondary market, I spent mega bucks to acquire the first dark-skinned friend of the Betsy McCall, (Convention Dru).  This 8-in/20.32cm doll is an exact replica (except for complexion) of the 1957 hard plastic bent-knee (articulated), Betsy McCall made by American Character.

As I shared in the introduction of Chapter 4, which covers modern manufactured and collectible dolls from 1960s-present, "Baby Boomers may remember Betsy McCall paper dolls that were published in McCall's Magazine beginning in 1951 through (at least) 1970.  Neither the paper doll nor the three-dimensional Betsy McCall characters had a black friend until 2002, thanks to Robert Tonner's 2002 Betsy McCall Convention Dru.  Later, in 2004, 14in/35.56cm Basic Dru debuted."  The 14-inch doll is another first-ever dark skinned doll by Robert Tonner.  Sitting Pretty Dru in the 14 inch size (shown in the above image), also from 2004, appears in Book 2.  Unlike the first 14-inch doll (whose name was interestingly spelled D-r-e-w), Sitting Pretty Dru has jointed knees.

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Front: Beachcomber and Overall Comfort Georgia with Design Studio Carin (back); all are redressed.

Also in Book 2, on pages 217-218 are Mary Englebreit's 10in/25.4.cm Beachcomber and Overall Comfort Georgia from 2001 and 2002, respectively.  Georgia is friend to Ann Estelle.  In their first appearance in book 2, the dolls wear their original outfits (not shown here).  In a subsequent appearance as a redressed doll, one of the girls is illustrated on page 365 of Book 2.  Both Georgias appear in Book 3 on pages 40 and 174. 

Also on page 217 of Book 2 are two illustrations of the lovely 21in/53.34cm Design Studio Carin wearing her orignal clothes and dressed in Gloria Ann's "Perfectly Suited" fashion.  Carin makes one additional appearance, redressed on page 366 of Book 2.  She also "blogs" on pages 76 and 212 in Book 3. 

More about the bloggers in part 3.

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This blog series is not yet complete, and I am wowed by the amount of Tonner dolls I own.  I am impressed because the dolls covered in this series do not include every dark skinned doll manufactured by this talented doll-designing, doll-companies-owning mogul! 

So stay tuned for the conclusion, part 3, which will discuss Tonner dolls included in Book 3.  These particular dolls utilized me as their facilitator to blog their experiences as dolls in my personal collection.

In the meantime, here are more links to enjoy:
Effanbee Doll Company
Ideal's Toni
American Character's Betsy McCall


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