Sears Happi Time Dolls 1901-1967

1910 Sears Dainty Dorothy doll mold 370 by Armand Marseille

Sears, Roebuck and Company is a catalog company that began in 1886.

It's unknown to us exactly when Sears began offering toys and dolls in their catalogs, but certainly as early as 1901 and perhaps earlier. 

Sears used the trade name of "Happi Time" for their line of dolls and toys and is the name found on the boxes.  Since Sears is not a manufacturer, dolls or toys will bear the marking of the original maker or unmarked.

Unfortunately for us, many of the original Sears ads do not always state who the original doll maker is, some dolls were made exclusively for Sears and many of the dolls were also available though other sources. 

The T. Eaton Company in Canada sold many of the same dolls as Sears.

1910-1922 Sears Dainty Dorothy doll, 18 1/2-29" tall, bisque head, open mouth with teeth, sleep eyes, real eyelashes, wigged, bisque lower arms, kid riveted jointed body, bisque lower legs, paper label on chest with her name, first made by Kestner doll mold 7043, then by Simon & Halbig doll mold 1080 and Armand Marseille doll mold 370.

1910+ Sears Dainty Dorothy doll, 20 1/2"

1910-1932 Sears Wearwell Doll line, best quality dolls with unbreakable Buschow & Beck Minerva metal heads, sizes 14 1/2-15, 17, 20, 22 1/2" tall, with fixed glass eyes and mohair wig, pink cloth silesia body hair stuffed with stitched on upper arms, lower wood forearms and hands, stitched at the hips with attached black cloth lower legs, doll head is marked Germany with a number on the back shoulder.

Sears Wearwell dolls pink body is marked on left side with a purple ink stamp Wearwell Unbreakable Doll, Hair Stuffed, Genuine Minerva Head, Made in Germany. 

Sears Wearwell doll with painted eyes, molded hair no wig, Minerva metal shoulder head, 12 1/2, 13 1/2, 15 1/2, 17 1/2" tall, same body as noted.  The painted eye dolls have the same ink stamp as well.

The Wearwell line also included Buschow & Beck Minerva metal head Baby dolls.

1911-1932 Sears Wearwell doll 1921 ad

1910-1927  Sears Knock Out Doll line, 11 3/4, 13 3/4, 15 3/4" tall,  Minerva metal shoulder head by Buschow & Beck, pink silesia cloth covered hair stuffed body, molded hair, painted eyes, dolls have a purple ink stamp on the body either;

Sears Knock Out doll mark Hair stuffed Made in Germany

Sears Knock Out doll mark Hair Stuffed Germany

1921  Sears Knock Out Doll ad

1910-1922 Sears Violet Doll, 16, 18, 20, 23 1/2" tall, Minerva metal shoulder head, glass sleep eyes, wig curled and fully sewn, early dolls had real white kid leather bodies, later they were made of white imitation kid leather, celluloid lower arms,  doll is marked on back of shoulder Germany plus a size number, on body front is a label with her name.

Sears doll mark label Violet Copyright 1910  Germany

1922 Sears Violet doll Christmas ad

1914+ Sears Daisy Dimple Doll or Sears Sunshine Doll, bisque or composition shoulder head, pin jointed kid body with cloth lower legs, bisque lower arms.  Paper label on chest:  Daisy Dimple or Sunshine Doll, Copyright 1910 by Sears Roebuck and Co, Germany.  Composition heads made by and marked Century Doll or bisque heads made by and marked Armand Marseille, Ernst Heubach of Koppelsdorf or JD Kestner.

1914+ Century Sunshine Doll, composition head, 16" tall

1914-1919 Sears Baby Ruth Character dolls, 8, 9, 10, 12-12 1/2, 14, 18 and 20" sizes, bisque head with mohair wig, sleep eyes, slight open mouth?, papier mache (composition)baby body jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips with bent baby limbs, came dressed in a lace and ribbon chemise.  Also sold by the T. Eaton Company of Canada.

1916 Sears Baby Ruth Character Dolls ad

1914+ Sears Feather Light Kid Dolls, 14 1/2, 16 1/2, 18 1/2, 24 3/4" tall, now with a celluloid head, forearms, hands and lower legs.  These dolls are much lighter weight than the dolls made with bisque or metal heads.

1916 Sears Feather Light Kid Doll ad

1921 Sears Beautiful Long Curls doll, 14, 16, 18, 20 & 24" tall, (dolls description, thus she was not sold as a "named" doll), composition shoulder head and limbs, strong stuffed cloth body plump, jointed at the shoulder and hips.  Sleep eyes, closed mouth, good human hair wig with long curls, dressed in a fine quality voile dress with plaits and dainty lace trim, excellent underwear, stockings and shoes.  Doll manufacturer unknown.

1921 Sears Beautiful Long Curls doll ad

1921 Sears Charming Lucille doll, 24" tall, composition shoulder head, cloth stuffed body and legs, composition arms, sleep eyes, human hair wig with long curls, dressed in silk and cotton mull gown, matching stunning hat, good underwear, fine stockings and shoes. Manufacturer unknown.

1921 Sears Charming Lucille doll ad

1921 Sears Darling Babies doll, 14 3/4, 16 or 18 1/2" tall,  (dolls description, thus she was not sold as a "named" doll), composition heads, cloth stuffed body and limbs, sleep eyes, molded hair.  Came dressed in cotton lawn dress with lace and rosette trim, matching cap, slip, diaper & knitted bootees.  Doll maker unknown.

1921 Sears Darling Babies doll ad

1921 Sears Goldilocks doll, 13 1/2, 17, 20 & 22" tall, "The Fairy Tale Dolls", all composition doll, jointer body at shoulders, neck and hips, golden curled blonde mohair wig, sleep eyes, dressed in a white lawn dress and chemise, a bright yellow sateen pinafore with appliquéd three bears on front, yellow and white matching bonnet, white socks and black slippers.   Doll maker unknown.

1921 Sears Goldilocks doll ad

1940 Sears Baby Sunshine Doll, 18-26" tall, she's as big as a real baby, cloth stuffed body, composition head, chubby arms and dimpled legs, molded painted hair, glass like sleep eyes, real eyelashes, slightly open rosebud mouth showing her red tongue and white teeth.  Baby Sunshine doll is a Good Quality Sears Exclusive doll, she came dressed in a genuine cotton Esmond blanket cloth coat stitched with baby blue yarn and bonnet with fluffy maribu trim, organdy dress with real lace trim, dainty slip, of course she wears rubber panties (all babies do), cotton socks and bootees, it is unknown how or if she is marked or who is the actual doll maker.  Sears, Roebuck, & Co. 1940 Christmas catalog, page 61

1940 Sears Baby Sunshine doll ad page 61

1940 Sears Miss Sunshine . . the Wardrobe Doll, 18" tall, lifelike sleeping eyes, real eyelashes, cloth body with composition inside jointed arms, legs and head, Mama cry voice, human hair wig.  Miss Sunshine wears a printed dress and ribbon tied bonnet, undies, rayon socks, and tie shoes, plus to go calling a coat and hat, rainy days a rubber hooded rain cape, a hostess gown and a three piece playsuit.  Doll alone is worth $2.00 - now $1.98.  Actual doll maker is unknown.  The 14" Miss Sunshine, lower right in ad, also came with a wardrobe.  Sears, Roebuck, & Co. 1940 Christmas catalog, page 60

1940 Sears Miss Sunshine . . the Wardrobe doll ad, page 60

1940 Sears Dorable Baby Doll, 17, 18, 20, 21, & 25" tall, composition tilting head, rolling flirty glass like eyes, real eyelashes, parted open mouth, Magic Touch skin with separate fingers and toes, dimpled arms and legs, cloth stuffed body, wears an organdy dress with ribbon rosettes, be ruffled bonnet, lacy slip, rubber panties, rayon socks, tied bootees.  it is unknown if or how the Dorable Baby doll is marked or the actual doll maker.  Sears 1940 Christmas catalog, page 66.

1940 Sears Dorable Baby doll ad, page 66

1940 Sears Baby Marie Doll, 14, 18, 20 or 25" tall, cloth stuffed body, composition head and limbs, molded painted hair, glass like sleep eyes (18" has flirty rolling sleep eyes), real eyelashes, open mouth with red tongue and white teeth, famous Poppa-Mamma voice, at last Daddy gets a break . . . this lovable baby cries for him, too.  The most talkative, the most talked about doll of the year.  Baby Sunshine doll is a Better Quality Sears Exclusive, she came dressed in an lace trimmed organdy dress and ruffled bonnet, rubber panties, rayon socks and bootees, it is unknown how or if the Baby Marie doll is marked or the actual doll maker, possibly Horsman.  Sears, Roebuck, & Co. 1940 Christmas catalog, page 63.  Note: The Baby Marie doll, probably uses the Papa-Mama duel voice invented by Alexander Kravits on 9 September 1937).

1940 Sears Baby Marie Doll ad page 63

1940 Sears Miss Marie Doll, 15 19, 21- 22" tall, all composition jointed body for the 19, 21- 22" doll, cloth body with composition head for the 15" dolls, human or mohair wig, sleep eyes - the 21-22" doll has flirty eyes - real upper eyelashes, open mouth with teeth.  Miss Marie wears an outfit especially designed for her of a red and white striped dress with full skirt and white sleeveless bodice, short red long sleeve button front jacket, dark red straw front brim hat, white socks and red oilcloth tie shoes. This is probably Horsman's Bright Star doll and Horsman's Art doll for the 19" doll.  Sears Miss Marie doll is unmarked, as are the mentioned Horsman dolls.  Sears, Roebuck, & Company 1940 Christmas catalog, page 62.

1940 Sears Miss Marie doll, 21"  ad

1950 Sears Kiss Me doll, 20" tall, baby doll with crying face, molded hair, oilcloth stuffed body, vinyl lower limbs and head, came wearing cotton pajamas and blanket, doll marked: 3 Ideal Doll Patent Pending.

This is Ideal's Blessed Event doll.

1950 Sears Kiss Me doll, 20"

1952 Sears Kit Ready to dress, miniature Dress Me dolls, 7 1/2" tall, two hard plastic dolls jointed at the shoulder and neck, glued on mohair wig, sleep eyes, painted molded shoes, came wearing a two piece bra and panties, also 16 outfits in two color booklets to design and sew native outfits for the dolls and two doll stands.

1952 Sears Miniature Dress Me dolls

1952 Sears Miniature dolls; Bridesmaid, Groom, Bride, 7 1/2" tall, hard plastic dolls jointed at the shoulder and neck, glued on mohair wig (except the groom),  sleep eyes, real eyelashes, painted molded shoes, came dressed in luxurious finery, girls have panties and crinoline half slips.  $1.79 each.  See next for other half or doll ad.

1952 Sears Miniature dolls; Bridesmaid, Groom, Bride, 7 1/2

1952 Sears Miniature dolls; Nun, Cowboy, Cowgirl, 7 1/2" tall, hard plastic dolls jointed at the shoulder and neck, glued on mohair wig (except the Nun, cowboy),  sleep eyes, real eyelashes, painted molded shoes, came dressed in luxurious finery, girls have panties and crinoline half slips.  $1.79 each.

1952 Sears Miniature dolls; Nun, Cowboy, Cowgirl, 7 1/2"

1952 Sears Modern Miniature dolls; Mary Hartline, 25th Century Space Cadets; Doctor Joan Dale and Tom Corbett, 7 1/2" tall, jointed at neck and shoulders hard plastic washable dolls, sleep eyes.  (Ideal) Mary Hartline is dressed in her red dress with panties, blond saran wig, painted boots.  (A & H Marcie dolls) Dr. Joan Dale has a mohair wig, dressed in a rayon taffeta space suit dress with spangled cuffs, fancy belts, removable leatherette boots.  Tom Corbett has painted molded hair.  Music stand sold separately.  Corbett & Dale are from the 1950-1955 Tom Corbett Space Cadet television show.

1952 Sears Mary Hartline doll,

Dr. Joan Dale doll,

Tom Corbett doll 7 1/2"

1959-1962 Sears Honey Mates doll, 36" tall, Playpal type, vinyl head with rooted hair in various colors and hair styles, hard plastic jointed body and limbs, sleep eyes, closed mouth, came in various outfits, doll is usually marked Horsman 1959.   Horsman who produced this doll called her Princess Peggy.

1959-1962 Sears Honey Mates doll 36" with short curly hair style

1972 Sears Baby Walks doll, 11" tall, press hand control to walk doll or puppy dog . . or both,  doll has a vinyl head with rooted short blonde hair, sleep eyes, real eyelashes, open mouth, hard plastic torso, vinyl limbs, press the air bulb/ buttons on her back with two rubber air hoses to control the doll to walk, press the other and her dog yelps or frolics, her right hand can hold her 3" tall white vinyl poodle dogs leash, came wearing an orange one piece sleeveless knit dress with striped bodice, solid orange skirt with front pleat, white vinyl belt and molded white shoes and socks.  Doll is unmarked.  Looks like a Mattel doll, perhaps she was a Sears exclusive.  A similar doll is 1972 Spiegel Jeanie Walks doll and dog Fluffy.  Tomy also made a similar doll.

1967 Sears Mini Martian dolls, 4 1/2" tall, all vinyl, rooted hair, painted facial features, closed smiling mouth, heart shaped cheek blush - six dolls in the series: Professor Pook (painted glasses, white books), Marti (Space Boy), Mini (silver cape), Bonnie (silver sarong, silver boots), Meri (white boots), Teenie (tent dress).  Dolls were are marked: J. Swedlin, Inc. 1967 Made in Japan.  Made exclusively for sale at Sears.

The Gund Manufacturing Company 1898-1925 was founded by Adolph Gund, he retired in 1925 at which time he sold the company to Jacob Swedlin, a family-run business & long time licensee of the Disney Company.

1967 Sears Mini Martian, Marti doll, 4 1/2"