Doll Show Finds: Mini Sasha Lookalikes, Vintage Playmates and Repair Projects

The best finds at a toy show aren’t always the dolls you bring home. At a recent fairground event, unusual examples ranged from a tiny Sasha lookalike to a boxed Teeny Tiny Tears, while two damaged vintage dolls offered a chance to put neglected playthings back in shape.

A packed fairground and a varied doll selection

I’d been weighing whether to attend either of two recent events, a doll show and a toy show. I was tired and achy, and the shows were on separate days, so doing both didn’t make sense. The toy show came first, and I’d been attending it with my sister for the past few years. Ken and I stayed at her house the night before; she lives an hour and a half away, while the show is about 15 minutes from her place.

The event filled more than half a dozen large fairground buildings, with dealer tables packed into the aisles. The crowds made browsing difficult, and the warm buildings felt like ovens. That was a sharp change from a fall show a few years earlier, when we were so cold we thought we’d freeze. This time, my sister wished she’d brought the small handheld fan in her car.

I saw somewhat fewer doll tables than at the past couple of shows. Perhaps dealers are bringing more toys if dolls haven’t been selling as well as they’d hoped. Even so, dolls were far more common here than they used to be at toy shows, and several stood out.

This Moni doll caught my eye because she looked like a miniature Sasha. Online descriptions identify these as 8 inch mini Sasha dolls, made in Hong Kong and lower in quality than Sasha dolls. They’re described as rare because of copyright problems that reportedly led to production stopping. The resemblance is striking, though this doll avoids the unsettling eyes and unusual hands I associate with some Sasha lookalikes.

A Teeny Tiny Tears doll appeared in her case with nearly all her belongings. Another discovery was a Barbie PTMI Birthday doll. I hadn’t encountered one before, but liked her appearance enough to take a photo. The information I found afterward says PTMI Birthday Barbies have been given to employees at the Mattel factory in Indonesia on their birthdays since the 90's. That distribution makes them hard to find.

Small mysteries and familiar favorites

One small doll looked like Tressy, but a 1970s Charlie's Angels doll beside her made her size clear. She doesn’t have Tressy’s grow hair feature, and the tag offered little identification: “Japan rubber doll with painted on shoes.” The outfit raised more questions. I recognized the jacket and think I may own one, though I can’t recall which doll it came with. Plastic discs form a necklace, and a sock dress completes the look.

I collect what I call hillbilly dolls, and there were more at this show than I remember seeing at any single event. They weren’t all on the same dealer’s tables, which made the number especially surprising. I didn’t photograph every one, but this example represents the group that caught my attention.

I also have a soft spot for dolls designed to look sad or invite sympathy. A Poor Pitiful Pearl appeared mint in her mint box, with the original clearance price still visible. A Brooke Shields doll in an evening gown was another surprise; I knew the character dolls, but not this version.

Two vintage dolls with repair potential

I’d left the previous doll show without buying anything. This time, I spotted two dolls under a dealer’s table with their limbs detached. I’d bought a Pippi Longstocking doll from the same dealer at an earlier show. She was complete and nearly perfect, needing only a light cleaning and her ponytails put back in place, but the dealer had considered her too much trouble to fix and sold her to me for $5. These two seemed to be in a similar position.

The first is a vintage 1950's flirty eye Saucy Walker, with teeth, brunette braids, and what appears to be her full original outfit: onesie, dress, socks, shoes and hair ribbons. Her head and arms needed reattachment. The second is a vintage Uneeda Susan Stroller, missing her arms.

I bought both at a very low price, even though I didn’t need them and had promised Ken I wouldn’t keep them. They seemed worth rescuing for someone who’d appreciate them. Saucy Walker is marked Ideal, and her dress, onesie, socks and shoes are original; the shoes also carry the Ideal mark. The other doll is marked Eegee and is almost certainly a Susan Stroller.

Both are in nice condition apart from needing restringing. Saucy’s flirty eyes work, and both dolls’ sleep eyes work, though neither crier box does. I expect to restring them with repair kits containing rubber bands and S hooks. I’ve previously put the arms back on a Susan Stroller, so this repair is familiar. Once they’re fixed, I plan to offer them for sale.

Other sightings beyond the show

A few recent outings added stray collecting sightings to the mix. At a local antique mall, a doll was displayed outside in rough condition. The store often puts interesting items outdoors, apparently including pieces it doesn’t place inside. This girl looked as if she deserved better care, especially with a $45 asking price. I couldn’t afford to bring her home, but I hope she’s rescued before exposure causes more damage.

During a visit with Ken’s sister and brother-in-law, we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Saturday Night Live exhibit included a marionette of Beck. He isn’t technically a doll, but he came close enough to catch my eye. I’d also shown the original 60's Beatles bobbleheads in my previous post.

The show season is nearly over, with another doll show—the last one this year—already behind me. Whether I made it there is a story for another post; this one’s haul of sightings and repair projects was plenty to bring home in the meantime.