Oct 302012
Three of the Seven Dwarfs – Sneezy, Sleepy and Happy, all cloth, 12″ tall, 1938.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Hanson. Check out Lisa’s eBay listings.
The Ideal Toy Corporation had a long and illustrious career in the doll business, beginning in the early years of the 20th century and continuing into the 1980s. They produced dolls in composition, cloth, rubber, hard plastic and vinyl. The industry’s best designers, including Bernard Lipfert, Joseph Kallus, and Neil Estern, worked for Ideal at various times. Fortunately for collectors, most Ideal dolls are marked. For more information on the company’s history, read Judith Izen’s wonderful book, “Collector’s Guide to Ideal Dolls.”
Individual pages:
- Composition Dolls including Shirley Temple
- Toni
- Other Hard Plastic Dolls
- Vinyl Shirley Temple dolls
- Crown Princess
- Jackie
- Revlon Dolls
- Revlon Doll Outfits
- Little Miss Revlon
- Wake Up Thumbelina
- Other Vinyl Dolls
Learn More: |
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 Collector’s Guide to Ideal Dolls, 3rd ed. by Judith Izen More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay. |
 The Art of Patti Playpal by Jennifer A.H. Kohn, Rita J. McCloskey and Pauline V. Yohe More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay. |
 Collector’s Guide to Tammy by Cindy Sabulis & Susan Weglewski More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay. |
Copyright 2006-2013 by Zendelle Bouchard
I am trying to find out info on a doll I have had for many, many years. It is stamped on the neck Ideal toy Corp. 1970 There is a code E9-5H159. I am not a hundred percent on the first 9, I don’t have a magnifier
Her face is of a baby, blue eyes with a smile and her tounge is out slightly on the left side of her mouth. Maybe 8 inches long. If you push the button in the middle of her belly her arms and legs wobble, release the button and they go back in.
Carol, your doll is one of the Belly Button Babies sold by Ideal in 1971 and ’72. There were three different versions – “Me So Glad”, “Me So Happy” and “Me So Silly.” I think yours is “Me So Silly” because she has her tongue sticking out. They wore little two piece baby outfits, no shoes, and carried a plastic rattle.
Can anyone help me with information about a series of dolls called “The Klunks” produced by Ideal Toys in the early sixties? I have one and can find out nothing about it. Thanks
Gary, I know nothing about these dolls but perhaps somebody will see this and post. Can you give us more details? What does the doll look like? Is it tagged? Thanks for writing!
I have a doll I can’t find out anything about. She is by Ideal – 1982 I think – a Teeni-tiny 12″ Thumbelina – says mama She is in the box and in great condition. Everything I look up is 14 to 20″. The # on the box is 10160. Thanks
The original Thumbelina was introduced in 1961, but several different moving versions were made in the ’60s and ’70s. They all moved by means of a pull string, except for Wake Up Thumbelina who used batteries. Then, in the last few years they were in business, Ideal made several different sizes and variations of Thumbelina which did not move. Teeni-Tiny Thumbelina was one of these. She was produced in 1984. She is worth about $25 mint in box. Thanks for writing!
The original Tiny Thumbelina in the 60s worked by a wheel that turned on the back – when you turn it and lay her down she appears to move. I still have my original in her original outfit and she still works.
I have an Ideal doll with the marking “YTT-19-L-3″. The dolls I am finding with this number do not match my doll. Mine has bisque skin with pouty lips. I am really confused about this.
Heather, check your email and attach pics to your reply.
I have a doll that I picked up in the 90s who appears to be from the Thumbelina line from the 60s, but I can’t find her anywhere on line. She is so much like the original Thumbelinas, vinyl with cloth body and a wheel on the back (it won’t turn, though) – and there is a hole that looks like she may have had a pull string above the wheel at one time. She has the same kind of face and hair except instead of the painted on eyes she has sleep eyes. On her neck it says Ideal Toy Corp. TYY-19-E. I saw one on eBay that was just like her, except hers says TYY-14-E (the 14 & the 19 indicate inches, of course), and she doesn’t know who the doll is either. I know there was a Snoozie Thumbelina but can’t find a picture of her anywhere. Anybody know about this doll? (BTW, the back on the one on eBay had been ripped open and sewn shut, so there was no longer a wheel.)
Yes, it sounds like your doll is Snoozie. She was made in 1964-65. The 14″ version was called Baby Snoozie. When you wind her up, she opens and closes her eyes, moves her head around and cries. There is a picture of her in the Ideal Book by Judith Izen. It sounds like more than one marking was used. There are a quite a few Snoozies in the completed listings
on eBay. Is she like these?
I have an Ideal bridal doll. She was given to me in the 50′s. She is marked on her neck Ideal Doll VP 17 and on her back Ideal Doll W 16. Can you give me any information on her. Aloha Mary
Mary, it sounds like you have a Saucy Walker doll made from 1955-56. She was made in several sizes and sold in a variety of outfits. She originally had two wrist tags – one showing her walking features, and another with three doll-sized curlers attached for restyling her hair. You are lucky to still have your childhood doll!