Doll-A-Day 2017 #25: Holly Hobbie Amy by Knickerbocker

  Today we're looking at another popular doll from the past,a Holly Hobbie friend.

The first Holly Hobbie dolls were produced in the early 70's, and included several rag dolls of 'Holly', her friends, and even her brother, 'Robbie Hobbie'. This particular Holly Hobbie doll is Holly's friend Amy. This line was produced by Knickerbocker in 1975.

Amy's outfit consists of a long dress...

...with bloomers that match the sleeves...

 ...a bonnet with a band of that same fabric,and she originally had white stockings and tan shoes.

I think this doll belonged originally to the mother of Emma's friend Felicia. you may have seen some of Felicia's wedding pictures when I posted them after my first time being a wedding photographer.

Amy's sweet little face was simple,with minimal colour, like the original illustrations.Her hair came in braids.

Her dress closed in the back with velcro and tied.

And her bloomers, or pantaloons, have an elastic waist.

 

'Holly Hobbie' was named after her creator,Denise Holly Ulinskas Hobbie, a writer and illustrator.

The REAL Holly Hobbie.

She created the nameless character that became Holly Hobbie in the late 1960's or early 70's,(Accounts differ.),as illustrations for American Greetings. Holly originally had her bonnet covering her face, like the traditional 'Sunbonnet Sue', and always had a cat with her.

Her back is marked 'Holly Hobbie AGC 1975 made in Hong Kong'.

Her head is only marked 'AGC made in Hong Kong'.

  The real Holly Hobbie was born in 1944, which makes her 73 years old, and today she lives in Massachusetts, where she writes and illustrates the Toot and Puddle book series.

 
Toot and Puddle star in not only their own book series, but their own cartoon series as well. There are also loads of Toot and Puddle products, such as dolls, and Christmas ornaments. I love pigs and I own at least one doll and one Christmas ornament!

  Holly,(the real one!),has also written and illustrated the children's book "Fanny", and it's sequel, "Fanny and Annabel". "Fanny" is about a little girl,(named Fanny!), who wants a Bratz type doll called 'Connie', which her mother refuses to buy for her because she doesn't like how the doll looks. So Fanny decides to make her own  'Connie' doll. When Fanny's 'Connie' doesn't look like her friend's dolls, they scorn her. Fanny puts her doll, Annabel away in a drawer until she realizes that her doll has it's own unique qualities that make her special. While playing hospital with her friends, whose dolls are all nurses with faces full of make up, Annabel turns out to be the doctor who takes charge.

In "Fanny and Annabel" Fanny decides to write her own book.

Holly Hobbie became very popular, and appeared on a wide range of merchandise, including greeting cards, books, an 'Easy Bake Oven' type toy in the style of an old wood stove...

...ceramics such as plates and mugs, stationary products, fabrics,nick nacks, Christmas ornaments, bedding, and craft items.

Holly Hobbie sheets.

  Eventually Holly's popularity waned. In 2006 a new line of Holly Hobbie dolls was produced, featuring 12" versions of Holly and friends in modern styled clothes. The line was discontinued in 2010.

See you tomorrow for another doll.