This pretty little dolly was made available to Canadian buyers in the 1972 Eatons catalog. Along with her wigs, "Wiggy" was sold with an impressive little collection of fashions!
Here is the front of a Takara's Miss Long Hair clothing package.
For comparison's sake, here is Jennifer, a Uneeda doll.
Another doll that one might encounter is Takara's Miss Long Hair (1970), well that is if you visit Japan! This rather unique doll was created using the molds of Uneeda's Jennifer doll. Her shoes were made in the same molds that Uneeda used as well. Jennifer was sold in a couple different US Christmas catalogs, even though Wards claimed her as an "exclusive." Miss Long Hair had a growing hair function.
One of Miss Long Hair's issue outfits looks very much like Crissy's orange lace dress, in various colors, like pale green, pale orange, yellow, or lavender, just to name a few.
To complete the ensemble, Takara released several outfits for Miss Long Hair. She also had a rather tall case that opened up into a beauty salon.
Other hair play sets were available too, that contained hair care accessories.
Here is the cover of the booklet that came with the doll and her fashions. The front illustrates "Fransoir."
Here is the back. This is "Marry."
Marry Fransoir (pronounced fran-swah') was a doll made under license from Ideal, from the same body, arm, leg and shoe molds as Ideal's Tiffany Taylor. To appeal to children in Japan, the head mold was changed. Unlike Tiffany, who was just "Tiffany" with two different hair colors, this doll represented two completely different personalities, Marry and Fransoir. Marry was the brunette while Fransoir was the blonde. All of the fashions sold separately, could be worn two ways, one way for each personality.
Of course, there is a "story" that goes with the doll to give her more appeal to the buying public. The booklet describes how 17-year-old Marry Fransoir is born of Japanese, American and French descent. She was supposedly born in Florida. Though she was a student and a model, she aspired to operate a Parisian boutique. Apparently, American and French culture appealed to the Japanese in those days.
The instructions also show several ways to style the doll's hair.
There were other growing hair dolls from other countries too. Here is Sheena from the UK. This doll was also available in Australia. Her body and arms were created from leased Crissy molds from Ideal. Her legs were different. Crissy shoes are slightly too big for her. In spite of this fact, some Sheena dolls were sold with shoes cast from actual Crissy bowflat molds, in lavender! I know several collectors that have them. Her growing hair mechanism was very similar to Crissy's. She had a nice collection of outfits. Here she is in one of her outfits outfits, "Anchors Aweigh." She was made by Palitoy, Ltd.
You will love this well-illustrated hairstyle book that Palitoy, Ltd. included with Sheena. Please enjoy!
She is modeling her issue outfit here, complete from her original-issue necklace to her smaller-than-Crissy-sized shoes, with another one of her outfits behind her, "Cap It All."
Two more sold-separately outfits for Sheena. The short-all set came with adorable vinyl boots.
Another doll sold by Palitoy, made with the same arm and leg molds as Sheena is Mary Make-Up. This doll is both a hair play doll and a make-up doll. She does not grow hair, and in fact, she has a different body than Sheena and Crissy. She has a nicely developed bustline, indicating that she is a bit older.
The following pictures come to you courtesy Gillian Grundy of the UK.
Below is my little Mary Make-Up who lives in my collection. She is helping her friend Sheena model one of her outfits. One can see that their arms and legs are the same. Mary's feet are smaller than Crissy's feet, just like Sheena. Mary is borrowing some American Velvet doll shoes to help her stand.
The above is my other Mary Make-Up, in her issue dress and original hair ribbon. She also is wearing borrowed shoes so that she can stand.
Such a pretty face!
Now here are two little booklets by Emu (from Australia) that offered several knitting patterns for Sheena (that will fit Mary Make-Up too). To view (and use) the actual patterns to knit for your Sheena, please go to this page.
Also from the United Kingdom is this most unusual doll.
This as yet, unidentified, growing hair doll is being shared with us courtesy Amanda in Canada. She is marked "14R" on her head which is the common mold mark for Royal dolls (see this site for wonderful information about Royal). She is definitely a factory created doll, perhaps using leased parts from Ideal. Her skin tones match well on the entire doll. She arrived in Amanda's collection wearing the dress and hosiery that she is wearing now. The dress is remarkably near-identical to Crissy's original orange lace dress. Inside are the remains of a paper tag. Amanda added the shoes. Since we don't know if she is a Royal growing hair doll created with Ideal molds, or a doll made by a completely different company using Ideal and Royal molds, please email the site owner. We would love more information!
To view additional pictures, please go here. Her growing hair mech is very unique!
This collector finds it curious that while Ideal was creating their own Crissy doll in the UK, they were supplying their body molds to competitors such as Palitoy and perhaps to Royal.
<<Page 1>
<Page 2>
<Page 3>
<Page 4>
<Page 5>
<Page 6>>
All text and photography, © February, 2006, by Beth-Ellen Colvin
"Royal" doll photos used by permission.