Liddle Kiddles
Encyclopedia
Liddle Kiddles were doll
s originally produced by toymakers Mattel
Inc. in 1965. They were introduced at the 1966 New York Toy Fair and put on the market soon after. Initially about 3 inches tall, they were tiny by doll standards. The sensation they created in the toy world caused other toy companies to produce their own tiny dolls.
Mattel founder Elliot Handler
oversaw the project. He told engineers and sculptors that he wanted the dolls to resemble little children in neighborhoods across America. Martha Armstong-Hand, the famous doll sculptor at Mattel, made the first Kiddles in 1965. She explained that the first set of ten dolls used only three different head molds but had different hairstyles and face paint. Armstrong-Hand also sculpted other Mattel dolls, such as Drowsy (1965), Baby First Step (1965) and Cheerful Tearful (1966).
with painted facial features and rooted, brushable hair. The first, second, and third series (called "bigger bodies" by collectors) ranged from 2¾ in to 3½ in, while the Skediddle Kiddles were 4 in tall and had a special mechanism inside the body which allowed them to walk, wave, and ride vehicles with the push of a child's hand. The Kola and Kologne Kiddles were 2 in, and the mini Jewelry Kiddles were – in. All the dolls were marked with "Mattel" or "MI", a date, and either "Japan", "Hong Kong" or "Taiwan" on the back of the shoulders or on the back of the head near the hairline. The smaller dolls were marked under their non-removable clothing. Most Kiddle accessories were also marked. Some were marked with the Mattel seal, and some were only marked with a number.
The bigger bodies (the first ten dolls) were designed to resemble typical neighborhood children at play. The name Liddle Kiddles was actually taken from the words "little kid". Each of the first 24 dolls had detailed clothing and accessories that perfectly matched their theme and size. Wire skeletons inside the vinyl bodies enabled the dolls to be posed and re-posed realistically. The small 2-inch dolls, however, had no wires inside for posing and, unlike the first 24, their clothes were not removable.
window boxes, or with paper hang tags. Heat and humidity damaged some dolls over time, and repeated play broke the posing wires of some dolls, rendering them unable to hold a pose. The hairstyles, painted facial features and clothing have proved durable.
They had no special mechanism to enable movement, just posing wires, the sharp ends of which usually protruded through the soft material, though they could still be posed.
line. Prototype dolls generally had hand painted faces, and some were created only as heads with no bodies.
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
s originally produced by toymakers Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
Inc. in 1965. They were introduced at the 1966 New York Toy Fair and put on the market soon after. Initially about 3 inches tall, they were tiny by doll standards. The sensation they created in the toy world caused other toy companies to produce their own tiny dolls.
Mattel founder Elliot Handler
Elliot Handler
Elliot Handler was the co-founder of Mattel. With his wife, he was a developer of some of the biggest-selling toys in American history, including Barbie dolls, Chatty Cathy, Creepy Crawlers and Hot Wheels....
oversaw the project. He told engineers and sculptors that he wanted the dolls to resemble little children in neighborhoods across America. Martha Armstong-Hand, the famous doll sculptor at Mattel, made the first Kiddles in 1965. She explained that the first set of ten dolls used only three different head molds but had different hairstyles and face paint. Armstrong-Hand also sculpted other Mattel dolls, such as Drowsy (1965), Baby First Step (1965) and Cheerful Tearful (1966).
The doll
Kiddles were made of soft vinylVinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
with painted facial features and rooted, brushable hair. The first, second, and third series (called "bigger bodies" by collectors) ranged from 2¾ in to 3½ in, while the Skediddle Kiddles were 4 in tall and had a special mechanism inside the body which allowed them to walk, wave, and ride vehicles with the push of a child's hand. The Kola and Kologne Kiddles were 2 in, and the mini Jewelry Kiddles were – in. All the dolls were marked with "Mattel" or "MI", a date, and either "Japan", "Hong Kong" or "Taiwan" on the back of the shoulders or on the back of the head near the hairline. The smaller dolls were marked under their non-removable clothing. Most Kiddle accessories were also marked. Some were marked with the Mattel seal, and some were only marked with a number.
The bigger bodies (the first ten dolls) were designed to resemble typical neighborhood children at play. The name Liddle Kiddles was actually taken from the words "little kid". Each of the first 24 dolls had detailed clothing and accessories that perfectly matched their theme and size. Wire skeletons inside the vinyl bodies enabled the dolls to be posed and re-posed realistically. The small 2-inch dolls, however, had no wires inside for posing and, unlike the first 24, their clothes were not removable.
Packaging and Care
Kiddles were packed in cardboard blister/bubble cards, in cellophaneCellophane
Cellophane is a thin, transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose. Its low permeability to air, oils, greases, bacteria and water makes it useful for food packaging...
window boxes, or with paper hang tags. Heat and humidity damaged some dolls over time, and repeated play broke the posing wires of some dolls, rendering them unable to hold a pose. The hairstyles, painted facial features and clothing have proved durable.
They had no special mechanism to enable movement, just posing wires, the sharp ends of which usually protruded through the soft material, though they could still be posed.
Prototype Kiddles
Prototype Kiddles are a rare find for collectors. These were one-of-a-kind artist samples used by Mattel to develop Kiddles, to introduce Kiddles to prospective buyers at toy fairs, and to use for advertising. Prototypes usually had experimental bodies, unusual hairstyles in unusual colors, or prototype clothing often made from existing Mattel fabrics, like those used for Mattel's BarbieBarbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
line. Prototype dolls generally had hand painted faces, and some were created only as heads with no bodies.
Product list
- The First 24 1966–1968
- Storybook Kiddles 1967–1968
- Skediddle Kiddles 1968–1970
- Playhouse Kiddles 1970
- Kiddles 'N Kars 1969–1970
- Tea Party Kiddles 1970–1971
- Lucky Locket Kiddles 1967–1970
- Kiddle Kolognes 1968–1970
- Kola Kiddles 1968–1969
- Sweet Treat Kiddles 1969–1970
- Jewelry Kiddles & Mini Pop ups 1968–1970
- Zoolery Kiddles 1969–1970
- Holiday Kiddles 1968–1969
- Animiddle Kiddles 1969–1970
- Kozmic Kiddles 1969–1970
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Kiddles 1968
- Storybook Sweethearts 1969–1970
- Liddle Baby Kiddles 1970
- The Tosty Co. 1967
- Karry Kases 1966–1968
- Playhouses & Cases 1966–1968
- Snap Happy Furniture 1969–1970
- Paper Goods 1966–1971
- Games and Misc. 1966–1970
- Gift Sets and Sears Exclusives 1966–1970
- Prototypes 1965–1971
- Store Displays 1965–1971
- Advertisements & Catalog Reprints 1965–1971
- Lucky Locket Reissues 1976–1978
- New Sweet Treats 1979
- Tyco Toys Kiddles 1995
- Kopy Cats & Competitors 1966–1969
- Liddle Kiddles Dolls & Accessories by Tamela Storm & Debra Van Dyke 1986
- Liddle Kiddles Identification & Value Guide by Paris Langford 1996