Wake Up Thumbelina is a baby doll made by Ideal in 1976. She was the last of the moving Thumbelina dolls made by Ideal, continuing the line that had begun in 1961 with the original Thumbelina. The earlier versions moved by means of a pull string; but Wake Up Thumbelina requires 2 D-cell batteries. When you press the switch in her back, she raises her head and arms, and turns over.
Photo courtesy of eBay seller dreamalong.
Body Construction
Wake Up Thumbelina is 18″ long, and has a vinyl head with rooted hair and painted eyes. She has a very unusual body construction with hard plastic torso and arms, and stuffed cloth legs which are part of her sewn-on outfit. She is jointed at the neck and shoulders. She has a battery compartment in her rear end with the switch in her back. She was sold as a white doll with blonde hair and blue eyes, or a black doll with brunette hair and brown eyes.
Photo courtesy of eBay seller dreamalong.
Markings
She is marked “©1976 // IDEAL TOY CORP. // WB-18-H-251″ on the back of her head and “©1976 // IDEAL [in an oval] // HOLLIS N.Y. 11423″ on her upper back.
Photo courtesy of eBay seller dreamalong.
Clothing
Wake Up Thumbelina wears a one-piece non-removable sleeper. The white top is a nylon knit, with the yellow bottom part of synthetic flannel. The legs of the sleeper are soft stuffed to form the doll’s legs. The “trap door” in back accesses the battery compartment. A pink ribbon in her hair matches the pink ribbon on the front of her outfit.
Packaging
She was sold in a cardboard box with all over graphics illustrating and describing her movements. She came with a sheet of operating instructions.
Learn More: |
 Collector’s Guide to Ideal Dolls, 3rd ed. by Judith Izen More info from Amazon or Find it on eBay. |
Copyright 2013 by Zendelle Bouchard.
