Long Limbed Dancing Dolls

These vintage ads come from old, dated catalogues. I have a large quantity of them that I thumb through
when researching and writing about dolls. Dancing dolls like these were sold through the giant department
stores like: Wards, JCPenny's, Jones Stores, Sears, Stix Baer & Fuller and FAO Schwarz, during the mid
 to late 1900s. Many of these companies are no longer in existence or have been purchased by newer
 companies that no longer market toys through actual built environments. Yes shopping was quite
different when I was a child. (sigh) We actually touched the toys before deciding to purchase them!

Jean Greenhowe's
"Cuddly Toys and
 Dolls" book cover.

       These specialized dancing dolls have fabric bodies and sometimes their heads are made from materials like plastic masks or vinyl heads. Most of the versions I have seen come with fabric heads and yarn hair; all versions come with elastic bands on the feet of the doll. The elastic is looped around the shoe/foot of the child so that the doll can mimic her dance steps as she moves holding the upper arms or torso of the rag doll, thus dancing with the doll. The dolls range from 32" to 40" in length.

       The production of this doll's body type comes in and out of fashion, however, an article with instructions by Jean Greenhowe from her book "Cuddly Toys and Dolls", 1982, does also include a pattern that may be adapted for a dancing doll. Her version is of a clown, but the pattern could also be easily adapted into any kind of doll character. Although this book is out of print, I'm sure it may still be found in local libraries or at a online book dealer's venue.

• Wonderful Fun Vintage 39" Pinocchio Dance With Me Doll 
• Dance With Me Doll ...Maybe?
• Big Dolls, Little Girls

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