Introducing Kenner's 1975 Dave Club Scout

Dave Cub Scout by Kenner, 1975 arrived in January 2010, NRFB, still attached to box liner.

Dave is not a newly-arrived doll. After discovering I had not documented his January 2010 purchase in photos, his first photo shoot took place yesterday.  Those photos are the purpose of this blog.

Dave's 2010 cost of $32, his retail value, and other pertinent information were entered on row 11 of the 2010 page of my doll inventory Excel workbook, as shown below in a filtered screen snapshot:




As indicated under the description column, Dave an articulated action figure/doll dressed in full official Cub Scout uniform.  The height was recorded as 9 inches; however, he is probably closer to 8-1/2 inches than 9.  The colorful box graphics include images of Dave on the front and back of the front-side flap, on both side panels, and on the back.

In this image on the lower right front and side, Dave holds a metal bucket and Craig, the other Cub Scout, holds gathered wood.  The boys are preparing to set up camp.

The back panel includes a large image of Dave.  In-box images of the four scouts in this line are below Dave's larger image.  They are Steve Scout (Caucasian), Bob Scout (African American), Craig Cub (Caucasian), and Dave Cub.

An outdoor scene with a diverse group of scouts setting up a campsite creates the left side panel and back-of-front-flap graphics.

I appreciate the individuality Kenner created for each scout and cub in this series.  Certainly using the same names for the scouts and same names for the cubs would have defrayed costs. In addition to their own unique names, each figure's name is printed on its box.  That required additional cost to the company as well.  What was customary for doll companies to provide in the past is a rarity in today's market.

After removing Dave from the box (still attached to the box liner), I discovered his 16-page Cub Scouting & You booklet printed on newsprint.   I took photos of the booklet cover and four of the pages.  (Click or stretch, if necessary, for a better view of these below.)

The booklet cover features an illustration of Craig and Dave.

Steve Scout, Bob Scout, Dave Cub, and Craig Cub are illustrated above, left.

Accessories and uniforms for all four scouts were sold separately, as indicated above, left.

Drummer Boy was Dave's separately sold, Historic American Series uniform.  It included drum and strap, drumsticks, boots, knickers, jacket, shoulder pouch, and tri-corner hat.  Frontier (a fringed buckskin-like jacket and pants, moccasins, coonskin hat, belt, and Flintlock rifle) was Bob's Historic American Series extra uniform.  Patriot and Out West were the names of Craig and Steve's extra uniforms.  Patriot included shirt, knickers, vest, boots, tri-corner hat, and Flintlock rifle.  The booklet describes Steve's extra western uniform as:  shirt, jeans, belt, cowboy boots, neckerchief, cowboy hat, and rope lariat.

Before returning the booklet and Dave to his box, Bob Scout paid him a brief visit wherein the two engaged in the following brief dialogue.

Bob:  Little Man, do you think she's ever going to free you from this box?

Dave:  No.  I think I'll be strapped in forever.  You're lucky she found you without a box or you'd probably be stuck inside too.

dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.

Gabbigale Mute But Cute Update

Gabbigale by Kenner, 1972, was photographed shortly after her June 2011 arrival.

This is an update to my post of June 8, 2011, written about Kenner's Gabbigale from 1972 that I acquired from the estate of another collector.

In my previous post, as indicated in the inserted photo from the book, Black Dolls an Identification and Value Guide 1820 to 1991 by Myla Perkins (Collector Books, 1992) the black doll's original dress is gold with red print sleeves.  My doll arrived wearing a blue dress with red print sleeves and matching undies.  I didn't think anything about this at the time.

This box photo, courtesy of Dawn Spears, illustrates the African American version in her original gold dress with a little doll lover admiring her.  The caption reads:  "She says everything I tell her to say."

After recently acquiring her African American version of Kenner's Gabbigale with original box, fellow collector and doll friend, Dawn Spears, pointed out to me that my doll was wearing the white doll's dress.  Dawn went a step further and found Gabbigale's original gold dress and undies for sale, purchased these, and sent them to me.  

Now my Gabbigale is all original, still mute but cute in her original dress, undies, and shoes!

Thank you again, Dawn, for your generosity!  Based on her facial expression, Gabbigale thanks you as well!

dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.

Dana Cover Girl's Time to Shine

Dana Cover Girl by Kenner ©1979

With a box date of 1979, Dana Cover Girl entered the market at the height of the disco era.  She is a 12-1/2-inch fully poseable doll with jointed wrists.  She uses a similar, if not the same body, as Hasbro's original Jem and the Holograms.

Dana has brown painted eyes and brown rooted hair styled in a side-swept wavy ponytail.

As illustrated on the side panels of her box, Dana wears a white body suit and removable skirt that can also be worn as a stylish cape (according to the text on the back of the box).  Her silver shoes are as shiny as a disco ball.

A portfolio and magazine cover are included in Dana's box. The back of the box illustrates the many ways Dana can pose with or without her posing stand, which is also included in her package.  Illustrations of several fashions, designed for Darci (the blonde counterpart) that Dana can also wear, are shown on the back of Dana's box.

Dana's poses and extra fashions made for Darci that Dana can wear are illustrated on the back of box.

Dana Cover Girl, not a new-to-me doll, has been dying to receive blog exposure.  Her desire has now been fulfilled.

The Totally Jem page offers additional information and comparisons of Jem, Dana, and Darci. 


Click the play arrow to view a circa 1980 Darci commercial, which does not feature Dana.


dbg

I'll Stop the Boat If You Make Some Like Mine!

Miss America Tonya by Kenner 1991

Kenner's Miss America Talent Show Tonya has a box date of 1991. The doll is part of a five-doll set manufactured by Kenner with the Miss America Pageant Organization's blessings. The other dolls are Blair (a blond), Raquel (a brunette), Devon (another blond), and Justine (yet another blond).

The other dolls in the Miss America series are illustrated on the back of Tonya's box along with an image of Miss America for 1991, Marjorie Vincent.

The back of the box has a small image of Marjorie Vincent who won the Miss America title in 1991, becoming the fourth African American to hold it (the third to win it with Vanessa Williams relinquishing her title in 1984).

According to the back of the box, "Tonya dreams of being Miss America, but what she loves is animals and singing.  What better talent number for her than singing a piece from the Broadway musical "Cats"!"  Unfortunately, the doll's performance was delayed. 

Like Barbie, the doll stands 11-1/2 inches, but in my opinion, that is where the similarity ceases. Mattel, however, did not think so.

When Kenner began importing its "Miss America" line of dolls into the United States, Mattel asked U.S. Customs to detain them. Kenner and the Miss America Organization responded by suing Mattel and United States Customs in federal court. (Read full text here.)

At issue in this [1991] case is whether two of Kenner's five "Miss America" dolls infringe on the copyright of Mattel's "Barbie" doll under the applicable portions of the Copyright Act. Mattel possesses a copyright in the unpainted head sculpture of Toy No. 9720, the "Super Star Barbie," which has been registered in the United States Copyright Office and with the United States Customs Service ("Customs"). This unpainted head sculpture is used on eleven and one-half inch fashion dolls. Kenner's "Miss America" dolls are all eleven and one-half inch fashion dolls and the question is whether two of the heads on the five dolls are designed from the same mold as that used to make Mattel's "Super Star Barbie." For purposes of the alleged copyright infringement, only the "Tonya" and "Devon" heads are at issue.

The above excerpt and additional text regarding Miss America Organization/Kenner v Mattel can be read here. 

As evidenced by my ownership of Tonya, the dolls were made (and Tonya did perform her talent act), but if memory serves me correctly, Kenner did not recover any losses as a result of the US Customs' delayed dolls.  A snippet of the case results can be read here.

I was trying to locate Mego's Diana Ross when I reconnected with Tonya and her "case."

dbg

Follow my Dolls for Sale blog

Gabbigale Mute but Cute

Kenner's Gabbigale, 1972 (click image to enlarge)

After purchasing the first printing of Black Dolls an Identification and Value Guide 1820-1991 by Myla Perkins (Collector Books, 1992), I created an extensive mental wish list of black dolls that had to enter my collection.  They were needed for their historical significance or aesthetic appeal. 

Kenner's Gabbigale from 1972 (shown, described*, and valued in the scanned image from the updated-values version of Perkins' book, copyright 1995) was desired for her aesthetic appeal.  To find a black one, I knew, would probably be difficult, as most black play dolls do not survive the rigors of doll play.  But I remained hopeful.

I did not conduct an active search for Gabbigale, but each time I referred to Perkins' book for something else and happened upon page 180, I remembered, I want her.

During the latter part of April, I received a comment on a blog  from a reader attempting to sell her elderly mother's black doll collection.  After requesting and reviewing the list of dolls for sale and noting that Gabbigale was included, I immediately expressed interest in purchasing and asked for a picture.  The seller complied and I completed the transaction.

Gabbigale... at home at last.

Gabbigale arrived this week after a difficult travel experience and lots of anxiety on my part.  Some 18 years after adding Gabbi to my mental wish list and 39 years after Kenner made her, Gabbigale (who no longer talks) is finally home.  She's mute but still cute!

1972 J. C. Penney Catalogue page 459, courtesy of Bonnie Lewis

*Perkins described Gabbigale's dress color as "gold."  As verified in the above 1972 J. C. Penney Catalogue scan that only illustrates the white version, the doll's original dress is blue with red floral-print sleeves, neck trim, and matching panties. 
 
dbg