I have been looking and looking for the name of this doll and couldn't figure it out. I, too, got one of these "ugly/cute" dolls are a little girl from my aunt and then my daughter lost it when she was 4. I have been looking for this doll for years. I finally! found one today (mint condition!) on eBay and bought it for $60. I am so happy. Cheers!
I also got one of these dolls when I was 5. I still have her today, but have had her cloth body remade. You can see where I chewed on her fingers as a child. I very much treasure her and hope one day my granddaughter will appreciate how special she is. She is so ugly she is cute just like a lot of newborns are. I am so glad to finally find out exactly when she was made and her name.
Iwas just wondering if anyone can verify the history of the blessed Event doll. I saw one on Ebay and the owner stated that she came out in the 1950's as a promotion for Hospital Births. It stated she(the doll) was taken via ambulance to a plane where she was "adopted" at the department store. Can anyone verify this?
Back in the mid 60's my grandma kept some toys at her house for when my sister and I would come over. This doll was one of those toys and we always loved her-we called her Cry-Baby. We are currently 50 and 53. We think she may have been a hand-me-down from an older second cousin we have. We were both so excited to finally find out her true name! We still have her to this day, her head is a bit orange-y now, and she no longer cries when you squeeze her. We have her dressed in old baby clothes-her original outfit is long gone. Recently I was wandering thru an antique store and there she lay-another Cry-Baby! Without thinking twice I scooped her up and bought her for a whopping $15! I cleaned her up and now we have two Cry-Baby's. Our grown kids laugh and make fun of us, saying she is the creepiest baby they've ever seen! They just don't understand...
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One of the first memories that I have of all my dolls was the Blessed Event doll. My beloved grandfather gave her to me for Christmas 1950 when I was only five. He always said that she was so "ugly" she was cute!! The Ideal Toy Corp. manufactured this newborn looking doll in 1950 using a new vinyl material. She had a vinyl head, arms and legs and a cloth body. Inside her body was a unique mechanism that made her coo and close her mouth when squeezed. It is common to see these early vinyl dolls with discoloration due to age and environmental conditions. She came in a 18" and a 21" version and was dressed in a kimono and receiving blanket. These dolls that were also referred to as "Kiss Me" were originally priced at $11.98 and $14.98. Just to see one brings me back to a very special time!