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Composition and cloth mama doll by Eegee

This mama doll by Eegee has a composition head and limbs with a cloth body. She has a human hair wig and likely dates from the 1920s.

This company, founded in 1917 by E. G. Goldberger, made a wide variety of dolls, including composition, hard plastic and vinyl. They used the trademark “EEGEE” early on. Their dolls were often knockoffs of the popular dolls of the day. In the 1930′s, they made the Shirley Temple-types Little Miss Movie and Miss Charming. In the ’50s, Susan Stroller was an alternative to Ideal’s Saucy Walker, while Eegee’s beautiful line of Little Debutante dolls competed with Ideal’s Revlon and Little Miss Revlon. The 28″ version was also sold as a Bride.

In the ’60s, Mattel’s Barbie, Skipper and Ken were the inspiration for Eegee’s Annette, Little Sister and Andy. Miss Babette was another Barbie clone. Tandy Talks was a cuter version of Mattel’s Chatty Cathy, complete with freckles. Shelley managed to copy two different dolls at the same time – she looked like Ideal’s Tammy, but had the “growing hair” feature of American Character’s Tressy.

Gemmette was a 15″ lady doll from 1963. She came in various hair colors and outfits, but always a long fancy gown. Eegee made Dolly Parton in doll form, in both 12″ and 17″ sizes. A number of ventriloquist dolls were produced over the years, including Lester, W. C. Fields, Groucho Marx, Bozo the Clown and Charlie McCarthy.

17.5″ Miss Sunbeam was an advertising doll for Sunbeam bread sold in 1959. She is all vinyl with blonde hair and blue eyes. Another product tie-in the company produced was the Kool-Aid Kid in 1989, a little girl wearing a red sweatshirt with her name on the front. She came in various hair colors, including a bright red.

The company also produced some very original dolls. Puppetrina, introduced in 1963, was a 22″ vinyl doll whose arms and legs could be manipulated like a puppet. There was a Baby Puppetrina as well. Honey Munch from the ’70s was an unusual ventriloquist baby doll.

Eegee is still in business under the name of The Goldberger Company, making dolls and toys for very young children with a lifetime guarantee.

See also:

Little Debutante

28″ Bride doll

Learn More:
Twentieth Century Dolls by Johana Gast Anderton More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.	More Twentieth Century Dolls from Bisque to Vinyl by Johana Gast Anderton More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.	Glamour Dolls of the 1950s & 1960s by Polly & Pam Judd More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.

Deluxe Reading, based in Elizabeth, NJ, was a major doll manufacturer active from the late fifties into the mid-seventies. The company was variously known as Deluxe, Deluxe Reading, Deluxe Toy Creations, Deluxe Premium Corp., Deluxe Topper, Topper Toys and Topper Corp. Many of their dolls were sold through grocery stores in boxes with colorful graphics. Some dolls that were marketed by Deluxe Reading were identical to dolls sold by other companies, including Arrow and Allied.

Baby Brite by Deluxe Reading

Baby Dolls

Suzy Cute is a 7″ baby with extra outfits and accessories, including a crib and playpen. 13″ Baby Brite (pictured above) will raise her arms to be picked up when you press the button in her tummy. Baby Magic nurses, cries and pouts. Tickles is a battery operated 20″ baby who laughs and cries. Baby Boo is another of Deluxe’s battery powered crying babies. 19″ Baby Catch-a-Ball wears metal bracelets that attract her magnetic ball. She has an unusual expression with tongue sticking out. Little Miss Fussyis a drink and wet doll that will whine until her diaper is changed. Several other mechanical babies were made in the late sixties.

Smarty Pants

Girl dolls

Little Miss Fashion Doll, despite her name, is a little girl doll sold with four complete outfits, including a snow suit, pajama set, cowgirl costume and party dress. Suzy Smart is 24″ tall and is a battery operated talking doll with jointed knees. She came in a set with school desk and blackboard. Deluxe Beauty Parlor Doll is the same doll, without the talking mechanism. Suzy Homemaker is 22″ tall and had accessories including an ironing board and iron, and refrigerator. Some items were child size rather than doll size. 8″ Penny Brite was one of Deluxe’s biggest sellers. She came in a plastic case and had numerous extra outfits, as well as play sets and a car. Smarty Pants(pictured above) is a battery powered talker.

Candy Fashion

Fashion & Glamour dolls

Deluxe’s 30″ high heeled glamour dolls include Darling Debbie, Sweet Rosemary, Sweet Ann and Betty the Beautiful Bride. These dolls have stuffed vinyl bodies and wear long fancy gowns. Bonnie Bride is an unusual doll who can “walk” down the aisle (on her rolling stand) and even throw the bouquet. 21″ Candy Fashion (pictured above) is one of Deluxe’s most beloved dolls. She was sold in a set with three dress forms and extra outfits. Candy has been reproduced by Charisma, but the new version is only 18″ tall. Deluxe Fashion Parade is another doll with extra outfits. She was available in 19″ and 25″ sizes. Gail of the West is a cowgirl doll. The Rags to Riches doll comes with both a “rich girl” and “poor girl” outfit. Pam and an unnamed Ballerina/Skater are two more of their high heeled glamour dolls.

Dawn in her first issue box.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Hanson. Visit Lisa’s eBay store.

Dawn

6.5″ Dawnwas a big success in the early seventies, and was widely imitated. Her most common friends are Glori, Angie, Dale, Jessica and Longlocks. Dawn’s male friends include Gary, Van and Ron. They were sold in regular and dancing versions. There was a series of Model Agency friends and another series of Majorette friends. Dawn has many extra outfits and playsets, even a car. One problem for collectors is the “blue knees” these dolls get due to a chemical reaction between the vinyl of their legs and the metal joint inside. Dawn and some of her friends were reissued by Checkerboard Toys for a few years beginning in the late 1990s.

Novelty dolls

The Go-Gos are 6.5″ character dolls with vinyl limbs wired for posability. The include Private Ida (a detective), Brenda Brush (an artist) and Cool Cat (a folk singer with guitar). Eight different dolls were made.

Learn More:
Glamour Dolls of the 1950s & 1960s by Polly & Pam Judd More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.	Collector’s Guide to Dolls of the 1960s and 1970s Volume 1 by Cindy Sabulis More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.	Collector’s Guide to Dolls of the 1960s and 1970s Volume 2 by Cindy Sabulis More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay.