Name: Classic Susi on the Swing of the Track
Made by and When: Estrela Dolls, 2022
Material: Soft, poseable vinyl
Marks: (Head) 10508 / 77; (upper back) Estrella S.A. / IND. BRASILEIRA / MADE IN BRASIL
Height: 12 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black rooted curly Afro; stationary amber eyes with applied and painted upper eyelashes and heavy blue eyeshadow, closed mouth with coral painted lips
Clothes/Accessories: Susi wears a long-sleeved red turtleneck dress with a bright multicolored houndstooth patterned skirt. The dress has an attached black faux suede V-shaped wide belt. In the center of the belt is a diamond-shaped gold tone embellishment. White satin panties and black vinyl mid-calf boots complete the 1970s look. Accessories include a clear acrylic doll stand and a silver child’s bracelet accented with a faux pearl.
Other: Fashioned after Ideal Toy’s 1960s Tammy, Estrela of Brazil received licensing from Ideal to use the Tammy mold for their first Susi dolls. These dolls were released in 1966 and made as White dolls only. From 1966 to 1968 the dolls had painted eyes. In 1969, Estrela began using inset eyes, which set their dolls apart from Ideal’s Tammy.
Black Susi was first introduced in 1973 by Estrela. In celebration of their 85th anniversary in 2022, Estrela relaunched some of the dolls from the past. The doll in this installation replicates the 1974 version of Black Susi. Both Black and White versions of Estrela’s Susi dolls are commonly referred to as Susi Estrela.
Beginning in the early 1960s, American children played with Ideal’s Tammy. Children in the UK enjoyed Pedigree’s Sindy, and by 1966, Brazilian children were introduced to Estrela’s Susi. Later, in the 1970s, Louis Marx created Sindy’s Black counterpart, Gayle for the American market, and the first Black Susi was introduced in Brazil by Estrela. While Ideal’s Tammy is no longer on the market, Black and White versions of Pedigree’s Sindy and Estrela’s Susi remain.
See another example of the original 1973 Black Susi here. The original 1973 and 1974 Susis along with the relaunched On the Track Susi are seen here.
Gallery
Visit the Virtual Susi Doll Museum for additional Susi information.
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