A few weeks ago, I purchased a Girls Explore Bessie Coleman doll. Here she is in her box.
She comes with a biography and a pilot log. Her box was slightly damaged, but the doll is in good shape.
And here she is out of the box. Her arms and legs are made of soft vinyl and they bend slightly. Her body is stuffed.
Here's a close-up. Oh my. I'm going to have to repaint her lips one of these days.
Here she is hanging out with Harriet Tubman, another Girls Explore doll that I purchased some years ago. Both Bessie and Harriet are on sale on Amazon.com for $19.99 right now.
So I recently watched the movie In Time, where no one ages past the age of 25. There was one scene where a man introduces his wife, his daughter, and his mother-in-law, and they all look the same age. It would be like that in my dolls' world if I made families with most of them. Well the kids all have parents, but the adults tend to not have parents (Alan and Midge are lucky) because they would look about the same age as their parents. So I like to buy more mature looking dolls when I can. And I've decided that Bessie is going to get redressed, and she will get to take photographs and be involved in some of the stories. Harriet might join in one day, also. Right now she's back in her box.
Here's Bessie redressed. She will not stay in this outfit (Happy Family Grandma needs her clothes back).
So which one of my dolls do you think should get Bessie as a mother? Does she resemble anyone in particular to you?
****Edited to add more photos****
So here are a few more photos to show Bessie's body and her poseability. Here she is standing with her arms bent. Her arms will move up and down to the front and back. They will not stay posed out to the side.
She can sit down.
Here she's seated on the floor, with her arms out as far as I could get them, and the floor holding them in place.
So here are a few more photos to show Bessie's body and her poseability. Here she is standing with her arms bent. Her arms will move up and down to the front and back. They will not stay posed out to the side.
She can sit down.
Here she's seated on the floor, with her arms out as far as I could get them, and the floor holding them in place.
I never had a stuffed doll before. Can she sit upright? Does she have any joints or pivotal points? You said her arms and legs bend slightly, but can they go up, down or out? Very curious here!
ReplyDeleteHi Muff, I've updated my blog post to answer some of your questions, and I've posted a few more photos. Her posing is limited, but she can sit down, her arms can move up and down, and her legs will move forward. Her head will turn from side to side. She has pivotal points at her neck, shoulders, and upper legs. Her arms and legs are slightly bendy.
DeleteBessie and Harriet are interesting. Bessie's lips scream "paint me, paint me." They are the first things you see when you look at her face.
DeleteHow tall are they?
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Oh wow, that is so interesting to me. I just want to touch her and squeeze her belly! Thanks for answering my questions.
DeleteDebbie, her lips are the reason why I didn't buy her when I first saw her years ago. She looks like she has taken a few too many swigs of Pepto-Bismol. I hope that I will be able to improve them with a repaint. They are 11-12 inches tall.
DeleteMuff, you're welcome.
I really like both dolls. They would both make wonderful older mothers with the fashion dolls.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vanessa! I think so, too. I've already redressed Bessie and added her to the rest of the collection. Harriet has returned to her box. For some reason, I'm hesitant to redress her and put her with the others. I don't know why. I'm not normally a person who keeps dolls in boxes.
DeleteWow, nice dolls. I have never seen these before. I can see why you are hesitant to debox Harriet. For various reasons I probably would want to preserve her as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Georgia Girl! I'll keep Harriet in the box for at least a while longer. After that, I'll at least try to preserve her dress and cape, and I'll redress her and see how well she fits in with the rest of my dolls.
DeleteThanks for the information about these dolls. I have seen the Girls Explore mail catalog, but I had been put off by reading that they have cloth bodies. Your photos make that less of a problem than I thought it would be. Limited poseability - not as bad as I thought since they can sit and raise their arms. Thanks also for the sale notice. That's a good price for the dolls and the books I believe they come with. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dana! I'm very glad that they can at least sit down. I have some vinyl dolls that can't even do that (I'm looking at you, model muse bodies). I thought it was a really good price also, and each doll does come with a biography.
DeleteThis looks fascinating. I've seen this sort of body on other vinyl girl dolls but never anything in fashion doll size. Thanks for putting up the extra pictures so we could really see the detail. I agree with you about repainting Bessie's lips, they look very pale.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carrickters. I need to get some practice as far as repainting, and then I will go to work on Bessie's lips.
DeleteThanks for presenting two dolls that I didn't know anything about. Bessie looks very good in Happy Family Grandma's clothes. I think she will make a great mom.
ReplyDeleteThank you, limbe dolls. Bessie can't really wear Happy Family Grandma's pants - they will not close in the back. I'll have to find her something to wear.
DeleteHello from Spain: I had never seen before this doll. They are really different. I like to see different dolls. Congratulations on your great buy. Keep in touch
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marta! I agree, these dolls are unique.
DeleteSpeaking of bessie roxanne i just read about her
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous, Bessie Coleman is a fascinating individual and I look forward to learning more about her life. This doll comes with a biography, and I will read it and probably pass it along to one of my nieces. I just found out that Bessie Coleman briefly attended what is now Langston University here in Oklahoma, where I received my college degree. I wish that this doll looked more like the real Bessie Coleman. This doll looks like an older woman to me.
DeleteWhat a wonderful doll! I love her aviator outfit as well. She was a pioneer in her time too. I thought she might be a little wide to wear any of the Mattel clothes but I'm glad she fits the HF Grandma clothes.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brini! I love her aviator outfit also, and I have it stored away to keep it in the best possible condition. The HF Grandma clothes are a little too small.
DeleteAn interesting doll. It's always great to have some older dolls, so adults can have parents and their kids - grandparents. It's a pity that dolls of an older age are so rare.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dukasha. I don't have very many dolls that look older, but I'm slowly building up that number.
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