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| Hi, CrissyTown has asked me to introduce this "new" webpage - as its all about me as a Baby! Hope you enjoy reading about my infantile days. Tee Hee Luv, Crissy |
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| In 1973 Ideal Toy Corp issued a cherub-faced baby version of Crissy. Her name, of course, was Baby Crissy! Baby Crissy was 24" tall with the same Crissy grow hair feature, although instead of a belly button and knob system for adjusting the length of her grow ponytail, she had a pull ring attached to a string. This ring had a post that fit into an eyelet opening on Baby Crissy's back. When you wanted to shorten her hair, you would pull on the ring and insert the post into the eyelet opening on her back. To make her hair long again, you would remove the ring from her back and gently pull on her grow ponytail. Baby Crissy’s hair was auburn with brown highlights; she also was issued in a black version which had jet-black hair. Her large head was made out of a soft vinyl and she had jet-black pupil-less stationary eyes. She had long thick lashes, painted eyebrows, pink lips and white painted teeth. Ideal did not issue any special fashions for Baby Crissy as instead her appeal was that she could wear real baby clothes as she was the same size as a 9 month old baby. She was an instant hit! She was introduced wearing a darling 2-piece dress and matching panties set (the white doll in pink, the black doll in lavender; although both dolls can be found wearing either color) she was not issued with any shoes. Ideal sold this beautiful baby doll from 1973-1977. In 1980 Baby Crissy was re-released, this time she had hollow vinyl limbs, darker, lesser quality hair and was now sporting the white romper with baby yellow gingham trim on the majority of these dolls and baby lime green gingham trim on a much lesser number of dolls. The last year she was produced, 1981 she wore a pink gingham outfit that is relatively hard to find. |
| Baby Crissy Photo courtesy of Snowy Woodz |
| The Baby Crissy dolls from the 1970s have cheeks and limbs that are soft and squishy - while the dolls issued in the 1980s are made out of a more hard rigid vinyl material. Photo used by permission of Carla Marie Cross |
| Baby Crissy Instructions Photo used by permission of Carla Marie Cross |
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| Baby Crissy had 4 types of boxes. The first was a short, square, window-less box in which the doll was placed in a sitting position. The 2nd box was a taller, window-less box, the 3rd was a 2-piece box with a window on the front. The bottom of that box was sturdy cardboard, while the top was very flimsy cardboard. These boxes are usually found in rough condition due to the poor quality of the box top. Also it is not uncommon for the window to have come unglued. The 4th was a one-piece, heavy duty box. This was the only box that was entirely wrapped in shrink wrapping. The 70's baby Crissy's heads were wrapped in plastic, where the early 80's dolls were not. They were issued with a hair net and a plastic headband. |
| Baby Crissy Photos courtesy of Snowy Woodz |
| NRFB Baby Crissy with Inserts These photos show a NRFB Baby Crissy with the cardboard stabilizing inserts that came with this issue. It's uncommon for them to show up on today's secondary market. Also note Baby Crissy's tissue wrapping at the end of her ponytail. Her ponytail is fully retracted as shown in the main photo above on the right. Information and photos submitted by Snowy Woodz. Thanks Snowy! |
| Baby Crissy Photos courtesy of Snowy Woodz |
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| Teeny Baby Crissy |
| In the late 1980's / early 1990's, Baby Crissy was again re-issued but some dolls did not have the grow-hair feature. Some Baby Crissy's were 18-inch drink and wet dolls. |
| More Baby Crissy's |
| A Cherub-faced Baby Crissy with Green Eyes - 1995 Beauty Parlor Issue by Tyco Photos used by permission of Carla Marie Cross |
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Projected for release in 1974 was Ideal's Baby Velvet Doll.
Unfortunately, this Velvet was never marketed to the public to join Baby
Crissy to become endeared in the hearts of the children of the Mid-70's.
Known only to have existed as a prototype (collectors refer to the photo
at the left from the Ideal Catalog) you likely won't be seeing a Baby
Velvet for sale at today's online auctions, or anywhere else for that
matter!
Obviously, at least one was made for the purposes of this photo shoot
but whether any others were produced is unknown. And whether this
doll even still exists today is anybody's guess -- perhaps she was part
of the elaborate historical display at Ideal's old headquarters, that was
dismantled and largely thrown in the rubbish when Ideal was taken
over by CBS in the early '80's. For more information on that we
recommend Judith Izen's excellent publication (see below on this
page).
Or by some small miracle, did a former Ideal employee end up with
her? In any case, to possess a Baby Velvet would be the apex and
crowning glory of any Crissy enthusiast! If the actual doll ever surfaces
you can expect to hear about it at CrissyTown, like we gave you the
story first on that no less than fabulouso Mexican Crissy earlier!
And just why did the Ideal Toy Co. publish the ad for Baby Velvet in their
catalog and then scrap her production? The answer to the question
lies simply in the company's financial situation and the already
changing atmosphere surrounding Ideal's total production output at
the time. Remember, 1974 was the last production year of our Crissy
doll as we knew her from 1969 to that year. That and the fact that only
16% of Ideal's production output in 1974 consisted of toys makes the
picture clear enough. Sadly enough, Ideal was not the Ideal Toy
Company they used to be.
Baby Velvet is only one of many toys conceived by Ideal and other toy
manufacturers that just never got off the drawing board, so to speak.
But we just can't help thinking they made a big mistake and
the Baby Velvet doll with her precious little face & winning
smile would have been a great hit and feather in Ideal's cap!
Unfortunately, this Velvet was never marketed to the public to join Baby
Crissy to become endeared in the hearts of the children of the Mid-70's.
Known only to have existed as a prototype (collectors refer to the photo
at the left from the Ideal Catalog) you likely won't be seeing a Baby
Velvet for sale at today's online auctions, or anywhere else for that
matter!
Obviously, at least one was made for the purposes of this photo shoot
but whether any others were produced is unknown. And whether this
doll even still exists today is anybody's guess -- perhaps she was part
of the elaborate historical display at Ideal's old headquarters, that was
dismantled and largely thrown in the rubbish when Ideal was taken
over by CBS in the early '80's. For more information on that we
recommend Judith Izen's excellent publication (see below on this
page).
Or by some small miracle, did a former Ideal employee end up with
her? In any case, to possess a Baby Velvet would be the apex and
crowning glory of any Crissy enthusiast! If the actual doll ever surfaces
you can expect to hear about it at CrissyTown, like we gave you the
story first on that no less than fabulouso Mexican Crissy earlier!
And just why did the Ideal Toy Co. publish the ad for Baby Velvet in their
catalog and then scrap her production? The answer to the question
lies simply in the company's financial situation and the already
changing atmosphere surrounding Ideal's total production output at
the time. Remember, 1974 was the last production year of our Crissy
doll as we knew her from 1969 to that year. That and the fact that only
16% of Ideal's production output in 1974 consisted of toys makes the
picture clear enough. Sadly enough, Ideal was not the Ideal Toy
Company they used to be.
Baby Velvet is only one of many toys conceived by Ideal and other toy
manufacturers that just never got off the drawing board, so to speak.
But we just can't help thinking they made a big mistake and
the Baby Velvet doll with her precious little face & winning
smile would have been a great hit and feather in Ideal's cap!
| Special Thanks to the following Baby Crissy Webpage contributors: Snowy Woodz, Carla Marie Cross & Judith Izen. |
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| The Crissy Doll Family Encyclopedia by Carla Marie Cross You can buy it at Amazon.com click here to buy! |
| Collector's Guide to Ideal Dolls Identification & Values" by Judith Izen A plethora of info on Ideal dolls at your fingertips! See Judith's website too at www.dollsofourchildhood.com |
Baby Velvet (1974) 20” foam body, lavender sleep
eyes, blonde grow hair.
Photo courtesy of Judith Izen from the book:
"Collector's Guide to Ideal Dolls Identification & Values"
Used by permission. Photo Restoration by WebStudio 8.
eyes, blonde grow hair.
Photo courtesy of Judith Izen from the book:
"Collector's Guide to Ideal Dolls Identification & Values"
Used by permission. Photo Restoration by WebStudio 8.
