Posted 10 years ago
carizzachua
(7 items)
I just bought a "Shirley Temple" doll and the seller told me that this is the prototype, one of the firsts Shirley. No Shirley marks at the back of her head or body. Just Cop Ideal Novelty & Toy Co. marking. Could anyone tell me if it's true?
Hi she is not a prototype they were marked just inside head and did not say Shirley Temple just a mark C , but she is a early one once Ideal saw she would sell they put her on market with the COP and Her name Shirley Temple .
The first Shirley Temple dolls were marketed in fall of 1934, at that time, "Stand Up and Cheer" had just come out, and Shirley was just beginning to gain popularity. Because Ideal (the ONLY company licensed to sell the Shirley Temple doll) did not know how successful the dolls would be, the first dolls, the "prototype" doll, were not marked Shirley Temple, and were only marked on the inside of the head "(C) 1934 Ideal Novelty and Toy Co."(also might be marked just Ideal on the head), by my own observation, these dolls had chubbier cheeks than the Shirleys made later in production, probably because Shirley was so young, and chubby herself. These dolls are slightly more valuable that the later Shirley dolls. CLICK HERE to see a prototype Shirley Temple prototype doll.
Once Christmas of 1934 came, and Ideal saw how successful the Shirley doll would be and so they got a patent on the Shirley Temple doll. For the first year of production, the name SHIRLEY TEMPLE was stamped on the doll along with a COP, which stood for Copyright Pending. Once Ideal got the copyright, the dolls said SHIRLEY TEMPLE on their head and back. The markings came as follows:
1.SHIRLEY TEMPLE (in the shape of a half circle)
2.SHIRLEY TEMPLE (in the shape of a half circle) IDEAL N.&T.Co. (inside the half circle, usually written IDEAL, straight across, on one line, and N.&T.Co. on the next), this mark also came with COP (C with the O and P inside it), to stand for Copyright Pending
So your doll is still a nice ver early one !! She is wearing a original "Stand Up and Cheer Dress which adds to her value . RIP Shirley Temple what a Star !
So how does this one called?
Ok let me back up It does not say Shirley on her ?
There is a belief that the doll you have is a 1934 doll and often called a prototype since her name is not on it . It was the doll they tested the market with . The true prototype , them making a doll to see how she looked done was marked with a C for Shirrley to approve . Yours can be called a Prototye since her name does not appear on it and it should be called I think the Test market Shirley :-)
I think I have to agree with you. Because it is really from Ideal and I thought Ideal wouldn't make a ripoff of their own product right? This doll isnt marked Shirley but from 1930's and has a dimple too. The dress is also from one of her movies.
In conclusion, You are a doll expert. Haha! Thanks a lot!
She is 100% Ideal doll . You know Shirley did sue a company for using her image on a doll and won . The copy cats are never marked Shirley but they usually have no marking at at . Nice buy
I have wrote published articles on Shirley Temple dolls but also fixed te hair at museum on at least 200 or more of the old composition ones like yours . Her hair can be put back into curls but do not get her wet . I set it and do a tiny pice at a time with a wide tooth comb , there will be some hair lose but not a lot . I use my finger to just wet hair as I go along. It will turn out shiny and curly and 52 curls :-) but the dolls never had that many .
ok i will be careful with the hair! Thanks! do you know how the 1st pin looks like? i want to buy one for this doll. :)