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12" Compo Cloth Effanbee All Original Little Sister Doll Floss Yarn Hair 1942-44

$ 36.43

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Material: composition
  • Condition: Nearly 80 years old, but in very good played with condition.
  • Brand: Effanbee
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Doll Size: 12 in
  • All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
  • Type: Doll
  • Vintage: Yes

    Description

    12-inch composition and cloth Effanbee Little Sister produced from 1942-1944; they came in two sizes and this one is the small size.
    I think I purchased her at a doll show in the late 1990's; she is in good played-with condition. I am trying to sell duplicates and I have two Little Sisters so I wish to part with only one.
    There's so much to say about Effanbee Little Sister. She was produced during the war years when doll wigs and doll eyes could not be purchased from Germany and composition supplies were very limited since nearly all materials being given to the war effort. Effanbee worked with what they had; only Little Sister's head is made from composition; painted eyes were substituted for glass. Effanbee used yarn floss to make her doll wig. I used the book, "Effanbee Dolls That Touch Your Heart" by Patricia Smith for reference.
    This painted face was used on other Effanbee dolls. Sugar Pie has the same face mold and people often refer to Sister as Sugar Pie, but I do not find anything to substantiate that opinion as Sugar Pie was a baby and had Caracul hair; only the face mold is the same. You may notice that Sister's face is also almost identical to the painted face of Little Lady Ann Shirley Historical dolls made just prior to WWII.
    Head marked:
    Effanbee (book says they were usually marked F an B, but this one seems to have the entire name spelled out (faint to read). Her composition head has painted blue eyes, painted eyelashes, single stroke eyebrows, blushed cheeks and dark rose lip color, yellow yarn floss hair with original pink hair ribbon attached. Although Sister is nearly 80 years old, her composition head is so perfect that one might think it was made of hard plastic. She has nary a crack or craze line.
    Body Description:
    The head is attached to a wooden plug neck that is attached to her cloth body that has a full and well-stuffed bottom as she was made to be sitting in a chair (she will also stand if supported by a doll stand). The chair in the second photo shows her sitting, but it is not included in auction; only the doll. Sister's hands are an entirely different feeling material and feel hollow; I am nearly certain they are celluloid although I cannot find any documentation in my Effanbee books to be sure. Flaws noted: Her cloth body is in very good condition, but there is some surface dirt (from 80 years of being someone's doll) and there is a small water-spot on lower left leg (this appears to be very superficial). I chose to leave her as I found her because I did not consider it unusual or worrisome.
    Clothing Description:
    Sister wears an all-original outfit that is in good condition, but does have some flaws from years of play:
    1. Pink one-piece long sleeve play dress that buttons in back and has some damage on the left side: There are several splits and a good size hole on the left side of the skirt (please see photo). Left cuff seam is separating and has some frays.
    2. Pink britches that pin in back (small pinhole on right front; overall good condition).
    3. Replaced black Mary Jane tie shoes.
    4. Hand-crocheted rose hat that is not original to the doll, but it came with her all those years ago and I have always left it on her.
    Note: The last two photos are for reference. The first one is from page 87 of the Effanbee book that I mentioned. The second photo is from
    dollreference.com
    No returns please unless I have somehow misrepresented her in my description. Thank you.