Sindy Identification Guide 1963-66

For a few years now, it’s been a pet peeve of mine that no internet site has correct information for Sindy dolls sold in Australia and New Zealand. So, I’ve decided to post an Identification guide to try and get the correct information out there – also a perfect project for Sindy’s 60th Anniversary. I understand that some may be very protective of their information, and some sites have not been updated for several years. I have no intentions of stepping on any toes or even reinventing the wheel, just to mend a couple of spokes. For this reason, the information on Made in England dolls will most likely be an overview, there is plenty of information on these dolls available elsewhere. It’s the Aussie and Kiwi doll’s information I’m mostly focused on. However, I’m happy to add information on all dolls if it becomes available. So, at the moment there are lots of gaps – the guide is still under construction – but if you have information or corrections which can be verified, ideally by document or photo, I’d love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment and I will contact you, or use the contact page at the end of the blog.  You will be credited for information. 

1963 and 1964 Made in England (the UK)

Size: 29.5 cm

Stock Number: 12GSS

Head Markings: Made In England under the hairline on back of head

Body Markings: None

Description:  Hollow legs with raised side seams; flexible but unbending vinyl arms; soft to squishy vinyl head, some variation in face paint; blonde, brunette and auburn hair in varying shades and thickness.

Fashion: Weekenders jeans and striped matelot top tagged Made in England, white sneakers (variations of this fashion can be seen at here, at Our Sindy Museum)

Box Markings: Made in England – Pedigree Dolls Limited

Booklet Markings: Sindy Bazaar booklet,

Stand: Sindy logo in oval cartouche on top, Pedigree Made in England on base

Notes:  Launched in September 1963, these dolls were sold within the UK throughout 1964. Dolls may also have been sold in France.

1964 Made in Hong Kong (Australia and possibly Europe)

Size: 28 – 29.5cm

Stock Number: 12GSS

Head Markings:  None

Body Markings: Made In Hong Kong on lower back

Description:  Hollow legs with raised side seams; flexible to solid unbending vinyl arms; soft to very hard vinyl heads, variation in face paint, some are very high colour; blonde, brunette and auburn hair in varying shades and thickness.

Fashion: Weekenders jeans and striped matelot top tagged Made in Hong Kong, white sneakers.

Box Markings: Made in Hong Kong for Pedigree Dolls Limited

Booklet Markings: Sindy Bazaar booklet marked Printed in Hong Kong

Stand: Sindy logo in oval cartouche, Pedigree Made in Hong Kong on underside

Notes: There can be a lot of variation in size and hardness of doll’s heads (causing wobbling) and arms. These dolls were sold in Australia towards the end of 1964, as you can see from one of the articles below, at least by November, but probably from September. Toys were mostly a seasonal retail item back then and most companies launched products in September to ensure a full three months of pre-Christmas promotion and sales. This also suggests that planning and production in Hong Kong must have begun early in 1964. The next two articles show that demand for Sindy was high, even before television promotion began. It’s possible these dolls were also sold in some European countries. Another post on these dolls here.

Articles from The Retailer, the Australian toy industry magazine, November 1964 and January 1965.

In photos above the blonde doll has a soft vinyl head, the auburn doll’s head is very hard, small and wobbles, and has high colour blush. The brunette doll’s head is harder and smaller than the blonde’s but bigger and softer than the auburn doll’s.

1965 Made in England (the UK)

Size: 29.5 -30cm

Stock Number: 12GSS

Head Markings: Made In England under the hairline on back of head

Body Markings: None

Description:  Slimmer bending legs and arms; soft to squishy vinyl heads, some variation in face paint; blonde, brunette and auburn hair in varying shades and thickness.

Fashion: Weekenders jeans and striped matelot top tagged Made in England, white sneakers.

Box Markings: Made in England – Pedigree Dolls Limited

Booklet Markings: The Sindy Set booklet marked ?

Stand: Sindy Set logo in oval cartouche on top, Pedigree Made in England on base

Notes: Legs and arms have a wire armature covered in vinyl and these may harden and become unbending over time. These dolls were sold within the UK, possibly from September 1965. There is now a starburst on the box stating ‘With bending arms and legs’. Early dolls would have come with The Sindy Set booklet featuring only Sindy and Paul, later dolls of 1966 with The Sindy Set booklet featuring Sindy, Paul and Patch.

1965 Made in Hong Kong (Australia and possibly Europe and the UK)

Size: 28.5-29cm in general, Mini Sindy 27.5 see below

Stock Number: 12GSS

Head Markings:  None

Body Markings: Made In Hong Kong on lower back

Description:  Slimmer bending legs and arms; soft to very hard vinyl heads, variation in face paint, some are very high colour; blonde, brunette and auburn hair in varying shades and thickness.

Fashion: Weekenders jeans and striped matelot top tagged Made in Hong Kong, white sneakers.

Box Markings: Made in Hong Kong for Pedigree Dolls Limited or Empire Made for Pedigree Dolls Limited

Booklet Markings: Sindy Set booklet marked Printed in Hong Kong

Stand: Sindy Set logo in oval cartouche, Pedigree Made in Hong Kong on underside

Notes: There can be a lot of variation in size and hardness of doll’s heads (causing wobbling).  Legs and arms have a wire armature covered in vinyl and these may harden and become unbending over time, and there is some variation in size. These dolls were sold in Australia and possibly in some European countries. It’s probable that again they were available in Australia around September, ready for Christmas promotion, and as one of the articles above states, Paul would also be available in ‘later’ 1965. It’s also probable that they would continue to be produced and sold through at least 1966 and possibly later. Dolls in boxes marked Empire Made were possibly sold in the UK. There is now a starburst on the box stating ‘With bending arms and legs’. Early dolls would have come with The Sindy Set booklet featuring only Sindy and Paul, later dolls with The Sindy Set booklet featuring Sindy, Paul and Patch.

The doll in this Empire Made box looks to be a Mini Sindy and has the first Sindy Set booklet enclosed indicating it is a 1965 or early 1966 doll. You can also see the fashion looks to be standard sized. It’s possible these dolls were sold in the UK to supplement locally made stock.

Advertisement in The Retailer, December 1965

Mini Sindy – Some of these Made in Hong Kong dolls with bendable limbs are much smaller than other dolls, sometimes one to two centimetres smaller, and collectors refer to these as Mini Sindy. It remains a bit of mystery how these dolls came to be or when they were made, I haven’t found any documentation on them. There are theories though. These dolls mostly have torsos the same size as full sized dolls, only the heads and limbs seem smaller and generally are very hard. In an Interview in Magpie Media’s 12S magazine Number Six 2003, former Pedigree Product Manager David Fear said: ‘The amount of plasticiser used, that is the formula that makes the vinyl either hard or soft, also affects the finished look. This would also be different with the dolls that were made in Hong Kong.  These were not made in Pedigree factories, but the work was sub-contracted to a number of different OEM companies, including Hong Kong Industrial Perfecta, who made dolls for a number of different companies.’ and ‘The arms would be vinyl; people tend to think of vinyl as a soft, pliable material, but it can vary from soft to hard, depending on the material specification.’ So, one theory is that the vinyl formula for these dolls was off somehow and that resulted in smaller heads and limbs. It’s also possible the limbs and heads have continued to shrink over time. Perhaps we’ll never know. I have heard rumours of Mini Sindy clothing, that is fashions that have been made slightly smaller, but boxed Mini dolls that I’ve seen look to be wearing standard sized fashions. Any further information will be gratefully received.

The first photo above shows a standard sized 1965 Made in Hong Kong doll’s torso on the left, the one on the right is from a Mini Sindy and they are the same size. The second photo shows the difference in leg shape and length between a 1964 Made in Hong Kong hollow leg, 1965 Made in Hong Kong Mini Sindy with bendable legs, and a standard sized 1965 Made in Hong Kong doll with bendable legs. The wire has been removed from the Mini Sindy leg.

In this image you can see the difference in height between a 1965 Made in England doll, a 1965 Made in Hong Kong doll and a 1965 Made in Hong Kong Mini Sindy.

1965 Made in New Zealand (New Zealand only)

Size: 29cm

Stock Number: 12GSS

Head Markings:  None

Body Markings: None

Description:  Slimmer bending legs and arms; soft to very hard vinyl heads, variation in face paint, some are very high colour; blonde, honey blonde and brunette hair in varying shades and thickness.

Fashion: Weekenders jeans and striped matelot top, may be untagged or tagged Empire Made, white sneakers

Box Markings: Made in New Zealand by Lines Bros. (N.Z.) Ltd.

Booklet Markings: Printed in Hong Kong

Stand: Sindy logo in circular cartouche rather than the oval cartouche of other countries, Pedigree NZ on underside

Notes: These dolls were manufactured in New Zealand exclusively for the New Zealand market to comply with import laws. Bodies and possibly other body parts were manufactured by Lines Bros. in New Zealand, and bodies tend to have a yellowish tint.  Some parts were imported from Hong Kong. There can be a lot of variation in size and hardness of doll’s heads. Legs and arms have a wire armature covered in vinyl and these may harden and become unbending over time, and there is some variation in size. There may be no stock number on the box.

Anomalies

Just when you think you’ve got everything worked out, the dolly Gods will throw you a curve ball. And so it is with the following doll. The head has all the characteristics of a Made In Hong Kong head – hard pink vinyl, high colour face paint – but it is marked Made In England. To further confuse things, it’s on a 1964 Made In Hong Kong body. Again, I can find no information to explain this doll, only guesses and theories. Perhaps some of the moulds used in at least one Hong Kong factory were marked Made in England. I suppose it’s another mystery that may remain unsolved.

Looking identical to her blonde Made in Hong Kong sister, this auburn haired doll’s head is marked Made in England, her 1964 hollow-legged body is marked Made in Hong Kong.

Special thanks to Sal Penney, Heather S, Patricia R, Eileen West, Sandy Jennings, Belinda B and Christine I.

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