The following pages from the Sears Spring Catalogue, 1955, were included for rural parts of Missouri and Kansas City and perhaps many other locations. This version of the iconic catalogue, as far as I know, has not been uploaded to the internet. There is one that was distributed to the city of Chicago that many folks on the internet are familiar with but it has considerably fewer pages/products. So I will include the farming products from my own version here for young students to study.
Both electric and oil burning brooders for chicks are described here.
Left, A talking Smokey Bear celebrates his 50th Birthday This Year! (1994) Center, This Smokey is 15" tall, wears a hat, badge and blue denim trousers. He is a stuffed Rayon plush from Sears in 1969. Zippy the Chimp pictured with him too. Right, the Nationally Famous Smokey Bear Doll, "Now the famous symbol of forest-fire prevention is a cuddly toy- acts as a reminder to be careful. Smokey is a plaything for children-a mascot for adults. 18" tall; stuffed rayon plush with Vinyl face. Wears "Smokey trousers, hat badge, belt buckle, carries famous shovel. It's a wonderful toy-it's "Ideal." from 1953.
Smokey Bear is an American campaign and advertising icon of the U.S. Forest Service. In the Wildfire Prevention Campaign, which is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in United States history, the Ad Council, the United States Forest Service (USFS), and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), in partnership with creative agency FCB, employ Smokey Bear to educate the public about the dangers of unplanned human-caused wildfires.
Smokey quickly became a part of American popular culture, appearing on radio programs, in comic strips, in cartoons, and as merchandise. Knickerbocker Bears acquired the license to produce Smokey Bear dolls in 1944. In 1949, Forest Service worker Rudy Wendelin became the campaign's full-time artist and was considered Smokey Bear's "manager" until Wendelin retired in 1973. A Smokey Bear doll was produced by Ideal Toys beginning in 1952; the doll included a mail-in card for children to become Junior Forest Rangers. Children could also apply by writing the U.S. Forest Service or Smokey Bear at his ZIP Code.Within three years half a million children had applied. Also in 1952, songwriters Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins had a successful song named "Smokey the Bear" which was performed by Eddy Arnold. The pair said "the" was added to Smokey's name to keep the song's rhythm. During the 1950s, that variant of the name became widespread both in popular speech and in print, including at least one standard encyclopedia, despite Smokey Bear's name never officially changing. A 1955 book in the Little Golden Books series was called Smokey the Bear and he calls himself by this name in the book. It depicted him as an orphaned cub rescued in the aftermath of a forest fire, loosely following the true story of the bear chosen as Smokey's "living symbol". This was the first book about him, and it was followed by many sequels and coloring books. Soon, thousands of dolls, toys, and other collectibles were on the market.
"Smokey Bear," shovel in hand, all togged out in jeans, Junior Forest Ranger hat and badge, is the official forest fire prevention symbol. He brings with him the code, stickers and membership card of Junior Forest Rangers, Made by the Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis 7, New York."
Hard-working "Smokey" makes a sturdy, lovable playmate. Head, hands and feet are made of Bakelite Vinyl Resins. "This fine fellow is ready for roughhouse at any time. His huggable plush body is enhanced by amazingly realistic head and paws of soft, washable Bakelite Vinyl Resins. The very same resins which make possible such authentic molding in this Ideal toy, make possible unique advantages in a host of other everyday things...from hair curlers to workgloves. For top quality in all you buy look for the Bakelite trade-mark. Both industry and defense rely on these superior plastics...you can too!
Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are a line of one-of-a-kind, cloth dolls with plastic heads first produced by Coleco Industries in 1982. They were inspired by the Little People soft sculptured dolls sold by Xavier Roberts as collectibles and registered in the United States copyright office in 1978 as 'The Little People'. The brand was renamed 'Cabbage Patch Kids' by Roger L. Schlaifer when he acquired the exclusive worldwide licensing rights in 1982.
The new doll brand set every toy industry sales record for three years running, and was one of the most popular lines of children’s licensed products in the 1980s and has become one of the longest-running doll franchises in the United States. The characters and graphics created by Schlaifer and developed by his company, Schlaifer Nance & Company, (SN&C), were used on all Cabbage Patch products: ranging from children’s apparel, bedding, infants wear to record albums and board games.
Babyland General Hospital is the "birthplace" of Little People and is located in Cleveland, Georgia. With the help of local friends, Roberts converted an old doctor's clinic into a general store/souvenir shop and "doll hospital" from which to sell his original "Little People". The facility is presented as a birthing, nursery, and adoption center for the Cabbage Patch Kids. In accordance with the theme, employees dressed and pretended to be doctors and nurses caring for the dolls as if they were real. Babyland General moved to a new facility on the outskirts of Cleveland, Georgia in 2010 and has been voted one of the Travel Channel's top 10 toylands– though its actual rank and who are the other nine, is a mystery.
Malaika, Talking Tamu and Baby Jane dolls all from Shindana Toys.
Shindana Toys, a division of Operation Bootstrap, Inc., was a South Central Los Angeles, California cooperative toy company in business from 1968 to 1983. It was launched as a Black empowerment and community rejuvenation effort following the Watts riots. Company proceeds supported businesses in the Watts area. Named after the Swahili word roughly meaning "to compete," Shindana Toys was community-owned and founded by Louis S. Smith, II and Robert Hall. The latter was the company's first CEO and President; though he was succeeded in both posts by Smith. The Chase Manhattan Bank, the Mattel Toy Company, Sears Roebuck & Co., and Equitable Life Assurance helped finance portions of the Shindana Toys operations. Shindana Toys was historically significant for being one of the first toy companies (if not the first) to market ethnically-correct Black dolls. A goal of the company was to raise Black consciousness and improve self-image. In a 1970s Los Angeles Associated Press article, company president, Louis Smith said, "We believe that only by learning to love oneself can one learn to love others...Shindana believes that by marketing black dolls and games that both black and white children can learn to relate to at an early age, the company can foster the spirit of what Shindana is all about, love." From a shop on Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California, Doris Conner—an African American, entrepreneurial businesswoman—along with her daughters, Lynne and Tuesday Conner, created, designed, and manufactured many of the clothes worn by Shindana Dolls. They also manufactured the Flip Wilson doll. The first doll created by Shindana Toys was named Baby Nancy. Many later Shindana Toys dolls featured ethnically correct names, including names that were Swahili in origin. Operation Bootstrap contracted with Mattel Toymakers to create a talking voice unit, just like the one invented for Chatty Cathy in 1960, for their doll Tamu in 1971. The popular Talking Tamu (Swahili for "sweet") doll was designed to say the following 11 phrases when you pulled her "talking ring": My name is Tamu, Cool it, baby, Do you like my dress?, Hold me tight, I'm sleepy, Can you dig it?, Let's play house, I love you. Tamu means 'sweet', I'm hungry, I'm proud, like you. Wikipedia
Popular Shindana Doll Types:
Baby Nancy - Launched in 1968, Baby Nancy was the first American doll to feature natural hair and Afrocentric features. By Thanksgiving, it was the best selling Black doll in Los Angeles and was being sold across the country by Christmas, showing that there was demand for Black dolls. The design of the doll was of note due to the work of sculptor Jim Toatley who created an ethnically representative mold, fulfilling Louis S. Smith's wish that the doll not simply be a white model painted black. The doll was inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame in 2020 alongside Jenga and sidewalk chalk.
Black Celebrity Dolls - Shindana dolls were created with the likenesses of positive Black celebrities including Flip Wilson, Rodney Allen Rippy, Jimmie Walker (these were pull string talking dolls like Tamu), Julius Erving (a.k.a. Dr. J.), O.J. Simpson, Marla Gibbs, Redd Foxx, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson. Children could make some of these dolls "talk" by pulling and releasing a string.
Cuddly Li'l Souls - This line featured "soft cloth-body rag dolls with natural-style hair" and clothing imprinted with uplifting phrases like "Peace," "Right On," "I'm Proud, Say It Loud", and "Learn, baby, learn." The last phrase was a transformation of the "Burn, baby, burn" chants heard during the Watts Riots. These dolls were given name like "Sis," "Natra," "Wilky," and "Coochy." The 1971 Sears Wish Book priced these dolls between $1.89 and $2.19.
Little Friends Collection - This collection featured Black, Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic boys and girls—most about 12 inches tall and with attention given to ethnic details.
Career Girl, Wanda - Each of Wanda's boxes included a little pamphlet explaining the doll's particular profession. Photos of real Black women in these professions and their comments about the nature of their jobs gave suggestions on what the child might do to learn more about the job." Some of Wanda's careers included nurse, skydiver/race car driver, tennis player, and singer.
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. Read more . . .
Barbie and her friends were only four years old when this ad was included in the Sears and Roebuck Catalogue. Dolls shown above include: Barbie, Ken, Midge from 1963, came with wigs!
How to Identify Your Barbie
Year of Make:
Doll body parts are copyrighted frequently in different years. The
production of face molds may be earlier or later produced than the body
they are attached to. This is why dating Barbie dolls may be quite
difficult if the doll doesn't have an original box or costume.
Country were parts are made:
Barbies have been produced in many different countries but knowing
where these parts come from will help a collector determine era that the
doll was designed in.
Trademark:
Barbie is made by Mattel. There are many other companies that produce
11" - 12" fashion dolls. So look for the makers mark or word "Mattel"
when identifying Barbie and her counterparts.
Face Mold:
face molds are frequently named, sometimes with an actual name and at
other times with a phrase or number. This is a very old, traditional way
of identifying all kinds of dolls that have been produced by doll
manufacturers throughout history from many different countries. Always check the back of Barbie's head to get the date she was made. Her body parts may have different dates but these are only for the doll's body parts not her actual date of design or face mold.
Barbie Identification by Melillo, the best - 1959 to 1995, for face molds
Barbie face mold from 2005 includes hot pink lipstick and dark eye shadow
Barbie face mold from 1998 with ash blond hair and darker white skin. She also has a beauty mark under her left eye.
Kira Miko face mold is Asian but she is actually a native of Hawaii not Japanese! (Kira is her first name, Miko her last name, some collectors interchange these but calling her face mold "Miko" is like calling a doll's face mold "Smith." "Miko" is a surname or last name.) Read more about her at Kattis Dolls here.
Barbie face mold from 1998 with lighter skin and blonder hair. Her eye shadow is rosy and her lips bright red!
Nicki face mold - Nicki was first an African American friend for Skipper, but she was also later made into an adult version friend for Barbie. Nicki face mold are still mass produced and sold today and has replaced the Christie face mold altogether. ( I think, maybe not.) Nicki's fame has climaxed to the MAX because of froggy, of course! see Sophie, froggy's famous character with a Nicki face.
Barbie face mold, another from 2005, with lavender lipstick, no bangs, low arched eye-brows
Hair Color and Style:
The hair color and style will help a dealer or collector date and
identify a Barbie faster than a copyrighted face mold or body part. This
is because sometimes Barbie dolls are not assembled until years after
their parts have been manufactured. So a doll with older parts may not
be actually sold to the public for several years after it has been
stamped with the year. Also hair styles are definitely dictated by decade when it comes to Barbie.
Skin Tone: Skin
color on a Barbie doll does not determine the doll's face mold label or
name. Barbies that have different skin colors are still Barbies if they
have a face mold that is identical to those faces labeled "Barbie."
Names of Barbie's friends and family are given to different face molds
not skin tones. There have been a few exceptions to this rule for Barbie
manufacturers because of advertising campaigns and also because of
issues that have to do with supply and demand for cancelled doll
designs. However, the vast majority of doll producers identify dolls by
face molds and therefore, keep to the consistent practices set by doll
designers.
Feet:
Holes or not in the bottom of the doll's feet will determine it's age.
Earlier dolls where manufactured in such a way as to cause the feet of
the doll's to be punctured. Knowing this helps collectors to determine
the age of a doll overall. However, many people put Barbies together
with old parts so this type of information is not always reliable.
Hands and Arms: positions of elbows and fingers vary, also palms face outside or to side
Eye Types: Eyes may be hand-painted or decal on Barbie dolls.
Body Types: There are many new shapes for Barbie bodies now so this can also help identify your doll as long as the head and body are original. "Made to move Barbie" bodies are move expensive but easier to play freely with. Many doll collectors actually switch out their Barbie bodies with these preferable body types. The Ballerina back and Shani front styled body is the most traditional and also the most controversial figure. Read all about eleven controversies surrounding Barbie!
Clothing: Barbies that are dressed as they were new-in-the-box, are very easy to identify as long as the clothing is original.
More Posts About Barbie, Her Friends and Family, plus The New Fashionistas:
Crissy Doll from 1969 has rooted hair that really grows. More dolls like this one were produced later: Joanne, Velvet
and Francie soon followed.
Above is a black doll version of Crissy from 1969. This might be the sort of doll that our Melody Ellison character from American Girl would like to receive for a Birthday or Christmas gift.
This ad appeared for the first time in a JCPenny catalogue. However, I was unable to find any advertising for the black version of this doll an any other published catalogues by Wards, Sears or JCPenny in the proceeding years. I suspect that the sales were low, so the doll was discontinued quickly. This doll would be very rare and quite collectable by now. If any of you have it tucked away in an attic or doll trunk, don't toss the doll; it's worth money now!
