VINTAGE Doll + ORIGINAL Clothes—BETTER BARGAIN Betsy McCall—TLC (READ FIRST!)

Description

The .99 beginning bid is NOT a reflection of this doll and outfit's condition!  I am listing ALL of my Betsy doll auctions--the GOOD dolls, BETTER dolls and the BEST dolls--with a beginning bid of 99 cents.
This auction is for one of the VERY GOOD BETSY dolls.
HAVE FUN!
You can see my other auctions in my Seller’s List:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/antiq45/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
5 day auction—
This cute, little 8” Betsy Mc Call is looking for a new home and is clean and ready to play or display.  Please read the complete description BEFORE you bid because she is not ‘mint’.   She is a lovely doll with issues that are common to these half-century-old girls.  I feel the issues in
black italics
below go a little beyond those normally found on these vintage dolls.  However, the issues are balanced by her other Excellent qualities which have kept her from becoming one of my ‘Bargain Betsy’ dolls.
This is a vintage Betsy McCall repaired into a complete doll with all original parts.
Therefore, Betsy is probably most appropriate for the beginning collector, as an inexpensive model for one of the many outfits you may have or for your child/grandchild to play with and to STAY OUT of YOUR collection!  ;-)  You will find that I am very ‘picky’ in my description.
I have discovered that monitors may show pictures differently than those posted from the Seller's computer—even the tilt of the monitor makes a difference.  Therefore, you can rely on the description to be a very good indication of the condition of this Betsy and use the pictures as a support, realizing that the coloring of this doll may be different than you see on your monitor.
Betsy’s positive points:
-- desirable DARK BRUNETTE hair (after all, the Betsy paper doll had brunette hair!) rooted into a rubber wig base with BOTH ORIGINAL BARRETTES and NO BALD SPOTS
NOTE:  You can date this doll to 1958-1959.  According to author, Marci Van Ausdall, Betsy’s hair was made from courser fibers in 1958 and 1959 before the silkier fibers were introduced in 1960.  (page 17, Betsy McCall, A Collector’s Guide)
-- pretty face complexion with NO CHEEK RUBS
-- rarer RED LIPS
-- lovely BROWNISH-GREEN eyes with perfect upper lashes
-- arms have a band made from rubber tubing that was cut the same size as the original, arms not loose and will hold poses nicely
-- NO OPEN SEAMS
-- knees bend easily; both knees
hold only the 45 to 90 degree (kneeling) poses
NOTE:  I am not listing the swingy lower legs under the ‘Not-So-Positive’ section because I feel that this is the result of age rather than misuse or play.
--
FLESH-TONED BEIGE
, clean, EVEN SKIN HUE overall—
Exposure to the environment has changed her coloring from pinky to a darker, beige color.
I feel that she is still attractive—much like she just got back from a week or two in the Bahamas (lucky girl!).
She has not yellowed and isn’t too very different than some other Betsy dolls until you hold her next to a doll with a pinker coloring.  ***NOTE:  These pictures were taken in outdoor light.  This Betsy is a darker tan when viewed indoors.
-- NO STAINS
-- McCall mark in a circle on her back
-- I have not forced her to sit.  However, a very helpful Betsy collector has shared a YouTube video with me that shows how to safely make your Betsy doll sit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DF5FM0rHaM
-- Her legs are stable enough to allow her to stand with careful positioning of her arms and legs (a little swingy as are most).  She will still need a stand for safe display.
Not-so-positive points:
(I am being very, very nit-picky about things that some other Sellers wouldn't have bothered listing and which may have gone unnoticed without my mentioning them.  I do not believe that they take from her loveliness, nor her collect ability.  Some issues are very minor and some may be important to you)
-- rubber skull cap is in vintage condition, understandable, considering the rubber is over 56 years old—there are tears and a few chips around the edge of the skull cap with
deterioration in the back
—all are hidden by her hair
-- One set of lower lashes are lighter than the other set—I don’t know if they were painted this way at the factory or if the set was worn a bit more.
-- This is sometimes common as a result of old wig glue, close to the wig cap, that got on both sides of her face and under her bangs when applied at the factory:
-- One knee has several teensy cracks and a small flare on the upper knee edge.  The other knee has No flare and a rough, teensy spot on the edge that has a very short line that may be the beginning of a crack that hasn’t gone all the way through the plastic yet.
-- the back of one leg (calf area) has a very thin line, which is common—hey! I’m over 60 also and Betsy’s legs look much better than mine!
-- head has been reattached with elastic cording—It is not really a downside because many times a head that is reattached (elastic cording is all that you can get back up in there) is much sturdier than one with an original band that has loosened with age which makes the head ‘floppy’.  However, a head without a sturdy original band might be of concern to a ‘purist’ collector.  I want to be up-front with my customers so that they are not disappointed with what they purchase—a lovely, pre-loved Betsy!
-- eyes open and close with help, probably because of the knot in the elastic cord that keeps her head on securely (not a bad thing—I just wanted to mention it)
Clothes:
Betsy is wearing the ‘Roses ‘n Buds’ version of the basic outfit that Betsy dolls came dressed in from the 1958-1963.  The chemise is clean and still feels crisp and no stains, fraying, tears, holes or missing stitches.  You can still feel the flocking on the flowers.  The elastic had stretched out after the passage of about 60 years, so I threaded a piece of elastic string behind the original elastic and pulled it tighter.
The shoes are vintage originals to Betsy.  Both shoes still have the knobs.  If you run your fingernail over the base of the knobs have pulled away from each shoe just a little bit.  One of the ‘buttonholes’ has the teeny beginning of a split.  The other ‘buttonhole’ has torn all the way through the end of the strap.   I do not button the shoes any more to insure the integrity of these 63 to 57-year-old items!
***
This doll came to me through e-bay purchases.  I have a smoke free home and I do not smell unpleasant odors on her, but I cannot guarantee what environment she came from.  In my opinion, this adorable girl will make a nice addition to your collection.
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I do combine shipment on multiple wins of my other auctions to save on shipping. Please e-mail any questions before you bid.  Cost of purchase less shipping will be refunded if item is shown to be not as described.  Buyer must contact seller within 2 days of receiving item and before item is shipped back.  Selling price refund AFTER item has been received in the same condition it was sent.  No refunds on shipping. Please keep this in mind when bidding.
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Feedback- I appreciate your feedback, and will leave feedback for you as soon as yours is received…thanks!
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If you would like shipping coverage, please ask before you pay.  The U.S. buyer pays for First Class or Priority Mail shipping--see ‘Postage Calculator’ in this ad.  I do not add a handling fee and want to state that I recycle my mailing materials.  I will
try
to mail USA packages within 1 working day.
NOTE:
Depending on what state you live in, eBay may be required to collect sales tax in addition to the auction price and shipping price.
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Payment is due within THREE days of auction end.
Thanks for looking--and bidding!
:-)