Doll-A-Day 2019 #23: 'Sample Skipper'

    First of all,my best friend,Lori,whose childhood Christmas photos you may have enjoyed recently,is having an ablation on her heart today. Any prayers, good wishes, positive vibes or whatever you believe in,sent her way would be greatly appreciated.
  Now,on to today's doll. It's this girl.

She's Barbie's sister Skipper.

Skipper was introduced in 1964. She was Barbie's first family member. She was joined in 1964 by Allan, and preceded by Ken,in 1961,and Midge, in 1963.

She's a special Skipper though. She's what is known as a 'Sample Skipper' or 'Test Market Skipper'.

The term 'Test Market' is more accurate,because these dolls were not actually 'samples'. They are the first Skipper dolls on the market.

They were made in much smaller numbers than Skippers that followed,and have certain differences than the regular Skippers.

The differences include bigger feet...

 

You may have seen this comparison in a previous post,but the 'sample' is on the left, regular Skipper on the right.

..legs that are made of resin instead of plastic,(although I can't tell the difference myself.)...

...a much broader stance than later Skippers...

...and  'Japan' written on the foot toe to heel instead of across the arch.

Other differences include double rows of bangs.

And a lot of the Sample Skippers have what I describe as a 'powdery' complexion. They're very pretty.

You will have seen a couple of my other 'Sample Skippers' HERE,and HERE.
  This is actually her original bathing suit, not just one like it. When I got her she was in a Barbie case with this suit and her shoes and booklet,and some other stuff.

  I never had  a Skipper as a kid. Skipper was one of those dolls I was aware of, but 'other kids' had them. At some point as an adult who collected dolls,specificall some vintage Barbie and family,I decided I wanted 'a' Skipper. After getting one, I discovered how much I liked them, and the vintage Skipper fashions. That was many Skippers ago! Unfortunately I don't have today Skipper any longer. She was very similar to one I already have,(one of the dolls I posted on before which you can find in one of the links above.),and so she left me to help me get a little closer to the trip to England with Ken and Emma this summer.

 

It's nice to look back on the photos though,because she is a really beautiful  doll. Tomorrow we'll see another doll.

Doll-A-Day 312: Skipper Saturday: Blonde Straight Leg Skipper

  This week's Skipper Saturday doll is one that embodies what I always think of as the Skipper doll, the Skipper you think of as the original Skipper: a blonde straight leg Skipper.

When I was a kid I didn't have a Skipper, or even know anybody who did. We lived out in the country, and until I started school I barely knew any other kids besides my cousins, (Who didn't seem to own any Barbie dolls.) When I went to school I saw quite a few P.J. dolls on the bus and around school when P.J. became popular, but no Skippers. I didn't know Skipper came in any other hair colour than blonde.

So that's the way I've always though of her.

This Skipper has very nice hair, but she does have a lip rub that I might fix some day.

She's wearing Silk 'n Fancy, from 1964.(During Clone Week recently I showed you a clone copy of Silk 'n Fancy.)

For some reason the right shoulder won't stay pulled up far enough. This is not typical.

Silk 'n Fancy consists of the dress,white anklets, gold elastic head band,and black flats.

 I have dressed my Skipper in red flats, but to make up for it, I've given her an extra item: white gloves.

As was the fashion back when this Skipper was new, she is doing the ladylike thing of wearing one glove and carrying one.Does anybody else remember that rule? (Not that I ever wore gloves, other than the winter kind that is.)
  Silk'n Fancy has a built in slip, with lace edging. The most common version has red in the lace, but there is a white only version too.

This is the common version.

The name 'Silk 'n Fancy is not very accurate, as the dress is velvet and satin, not silk.

 

See you tomorrow with another doll, and a look at some recent finds  for those who like to do dioramas or displays with their dolls.

Doll-A-Day 267:Skipper Saturday: Blonde Straight Leg Skipper

   Before I forget, welcome to our newest follower. Thanks for joining us Shirley!
  I had planned to get so much done today, but as usual, nothing ever goes as planned. I was going to get most of the next week's posts done today while I was here all alone: Ken went to work two hours earlier than usual today, Fuzz was asleep since he works nights, and Ivy has been gone since Friday morning, camping with her friend and her family.Well, for a start, there wasn't a working camera battery in the house. I did get some posts written ahead, but no pictures.On top of that I have to do Ivy's jobs while she's away, and while I was cleaning the rabbit cage Jerome kept kicking 'wetness' into my face. My belief that it is just water is, I'm sure, only wishful thinking. Plus I've had a sinus headache all day, it rained so I couldn't get my laundry dry, and it's really cold in here. There. Got that off my chest. (But it's still covered with rabbit 'wetness'...)
  I took a few close ups before the only working camera battery in the known universe died it's sudden death. Finally the batteries are charged, so I have taken the rest of the pictures of today's Skipper.Here she is. She's this  straight leg Skipper.

According to her sign, she's playing the part of Clara in The Nutcracker Suite.

You may have seen her before, in the post telling about how I got her, from October 11th of last year.

I bought her from a lady who was trying to sell the dolls that had belonged to her and her sister as kids.

As I bought them. They're dressed in the last things their owners played with them in, I suppose.Both Skippers had had their lips coloured. I don't know with what, but it came off with water.

I bought the Skippers that had belonged to both sisters, and their Skooter and Tutti dolls.

This is today's girl, as she looked when I bought her. She belonged to the lady I bought her from, whose name is Karen.

The brunette belonged to Karen's sister Linda, who has passed away. Linda's doll was featured on Doll-A-Day 74.

Before...

...and after.

'Karen' is wearing Ballet Class, from 1964-65.

Ballet Class included this sparkly pink tutu...

 flowered head piece...

black leotard,black tights...

 ,white ballet shoes with ties...

Tying ballet shoes is not my strong suit...

... Nutcracker ballet sign, and pink satin drawstring bag, (to keep the shoes in).

The pink tutu has a zipper in the back.

Ballet Class coordinates with Barbie's Ballerina, (1961-65) Barbie has a Nutcracker sign too.Hers says the Sugar Plum Fairy is played by Barbie.

See you tomorrow for the start of Soft Doll Week, where we'll be looking at soft bodied dolls.