Name: World of Love Soul
Made by and When: Hasbro, first issue 1971, second issue 1973
Material: Vinyl with a swivel waist, click-bend knees, and soft posable arms
Marks: 6 / HONG KONG (lower back); ©HASBRO / U.S. PAT PEND
Height: 9 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Short black curly rooted hair in bubble cut style, brown painted eyes with rooted eyelashes, closed mouth
Clothes: The 1st and 2nd edition dolls are dressed identically in a turquoise knit top with clouds and rainbow appliqués; turquoise, blue, green, and white knit bell-bottom pants; orange felt shoulder bag has a chain strap, orange mock lace boots, green sunglasses with circle rims, and a turquoise cord necklace. A clear acrylic doll stand, a note regarding the significance of boots, and written instruction to use talcum powder inside each boot for ease of putting on and removing from the doll’s feet were included with both editions.
Other: Soul is from Hasbro’s The World of Love collection of 9-inch fashion dolls from the 1970s. The first dolls debuted in 1971. Other dolls in the series were Love, Peace, Flower, Music and one guy, Adam, said to be named after the son of one of the doll designers. Soul is the only Black or African American doll in the collection. Separately sold fashions were available.
The 1st edition Soul was presented in a box with a graphic illustration of the doll on the front and the sides of the box top. The 2nd edition doll’s package has a wider cardboard bottom with the same colorful graphics and illustrations as the original box. A cardboard insert inside the box contains a graphic illustration of the doll that is identical to the 1st edition illustration. The 2nd edition doll’s box is covered with shrink wrap.
Deluxe Soul, stock #4417, sold separately, wore gaucho pants, a blouse, a vest, and boots. A personalized red T-shirt with an illustrated headshot of Soul, a heart, and the doll’s name underneath was included with Deluxe Soul. (See a photo of Deluxe Soul at the Plaid Stallions website link below the gallery.)
Gallery
The 1st and 2nd-edition Dolls
Fashion Brochure and Boxed World of Love Fashions
Unboxed Fashions Modeled by an Unboxed (Re-rooted) Soul (the jewelry, headbands, and some shoes worn by the following doll were not part of the boxed sets.)
Learn more about Hasbro’s World of Love dolls at the Plaid Stallions website.
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