Horsman Doll Company - Dolls 1960-1970's

Edward Imeson Horsman opened a toy company in New York city in 1865 and became a leader in the toy industry. In the early years they produced a variety of composition dolls wearing wigs, molded or painted hair, sleep or painted eyes. About 1911 they used a new formula to make "Can't break Em" dolls like the Billiken. By the 1980's the Horsman name was sold to an Asian company (Gata Box, Ltd) who produced dolls under the name Horsman Ltd. and are now made in Hong Hong, China.

Here's some of the dolls made by Horsman 1960-1970's we have found:

1960's Ruth's Sister, 26" tall, hard plastic body and legs, vinyl head and arms, rooted hair, sleep eyes with lashes, open mouth, marked Horsman/T-27.

1960's Ruth Sister, 26"

1961 Jackie, 25" tall with rooted black hair and blue sleep eyes, marked: Horsman/19©61/JK/25/4, came in several different outfits.

Clearly you can see the resemblance to Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy.

1961 Jackie, 25"

1963 Poor Pitiful Pearl - Horsman, box front says; "Make her pretty make her wish come true!"

1963 Poor Pitiful Pearl Horsman

ca. 1963 Poor Pitiful Pearl, was produced by Brookglad Creations, Tristar companies, & Horsman (photo is the Tristar Poor Pitiful Pearl MIB), 16" tall.

Box front says; Help I need a Mommy, Change me from pitiful to pretty!

ca. 1963 Poor Pitiful Pearl, 16" Tristar

1964 Mary Poppins, 12" tall, see the Mary Poppins link for more details. There was also a set available of Mary Poppins which included both Jane Banks & Michael Banks too.

1964 Mary Poppins , 12"

1964 Thirstee Walker, 27" tall, marked Horsman/TB-26.

1964 Thirstee Walker, 27"

1965 Cinderella set, 11 1/2" tall, marked: H 1965.

1965 Cinderella, 11 1/2"

1965 Flying Nun, 12" tall, Sally Fields from the 1960's TV show, vinyl with rooted brunette hair wearing her white Nun's habit and white flying nun hat.

There is also a 15" Nun doll, not related to the Sally doll, has a typical Horsman doll face.

See also the Dolly Darling pages, Flying Nun, for another smaller version by Hasbro.

1965 Flying Nun, 12"

1965 Patty Duke, 12" tall, wears gray flannel pants and a red sweater red shoes, looks like Tammy, marked: Horsman Doll/6211.

1965 Patty Duke, 12"

1965 Teensie Tot, 11" tall, black or white doll, hard plastic jointed body, soft vinyl head with short rooted hair, sleep eyes, real upper eyelashes, tiny painted lower lashes, closed smiling watermelon painted mouth, came various outfits, an Irene Szor designed doll. Marked: Horsman Dolls, Inc./T 11 or H.

Photo courtesy of Missin-in-action.

1965 Teensie Tot, 11"

1966 Mary Poppins, 36" tall, Playpal sized, similar to the smaller sized doll sold earlier, only a lot bigger, has a chubbier body more like a child than an adult.

1966 Mary Poppins, 36"

1968 Perfume Pixies, 3" tall, Liddle Kiddle Kologne doll competitor, (3) in the series: Bluebell, Marigold & Rosebud, all vinyl with bendable limbs, long rooted hair, painted facial features a single upper lash extending from outer corner of eye, closed mouth, each with a permafragrance, came packaged in a plastic dome bell.

Each comes wearing a flocked sleeveless dress with a flower on front, in an appropriate color for the flower scent it is named after. IE. rose for Rosebud who is shown, blue for Bluebell & orange for Marigold.

1968 Perfume Pixies, 3"

1968 Tuffie, 17" tall, all vinyl, rooted blonde hair, closed mouth with tucked in lips - kind of pouty, and her hand index finger is pointing out. Marked: Horsman B-19. Photo courtesy Debi Brame

1968 Tuffie, 17"

1968 Zodiac Baby, 6" tall, all vinyl, jointed baby type, long pink rooted hair, black eyes, open mouth, came with a charm bracelet with the zodiac signs.

1968 Zodiac Baby, 6"

1970 Peggy Pen Pal, 18" tall, vinyl and hard plastic, rooted blonde hair, blue eyes, came wearing her red dress with writing desk and implements.

1970 Peggy Pen Pal, 18"

1971 Baby's 1st Sofskin, with the soft skin you love to touch, 16" tall, soft vinyl chubby baby body, sleep eyes, molded hair, open mouth, drink wet doll.

Marked: 3255/15 EYE/17/HORSMAN DOLLS INC./19©71.

Horsman made a lot of different Sofskin dolls over the years, they came in various sizes, some had rooted hair and the names varied, too.

1971 Baby's 1st Sofskin, 16"

1972 Bye-Lo Baby, 14" tall, vinyl head and swivel limbs, cloth body, painted eyes, marked Horsman doll/1972.

1972 Bye-Lo baby, 14"

1972 Little Debbie, 11" tall, vinyl head with rooted hair, painted upper eyelashes, open smiling mouth, jointed plastic body, dressed in a short sleeve blue & white check gingham dress, white apron pinafore with her name of front Little Debbie, matching straw hat with edges bo8und in gingham, white socks & black shoes.

Made by Horsman for "Little Debbie Snack Cakes" company 25th anniversary. Marked on head: Horsman Dolls Inc./19©72. This same face mold was also used on other Horsman dolls - 1960s-1980s.

1972 Little Debbie, 11"

1972 Pippi Longstocking, 22" tall, marked 25-3/Horsman Dolls Inc./1972, cloth doll, red yarn braided hair, multi colored clothing, has her name on the outer smock or vest.

1972 Pippi 18" tall, is all vinyl, with rooted hair and freckled face and is shown in the photo.

1972 Pippi Longstocking, 18"

1974-1975 Happy Baby, 22" tall, vinyl head with rooted hair, soft stuffed cloth body, sleep eyes, open smiling mouth, made battery operated recorded sounds, she: laugh's, gurgles & chuckles when you lift her, she wore (1974) a pink and white check two piece top and pants in (1975) she wore a pink and yellow two piece outfit. In 1975 she was 18" tall, 1976 she is 16" tall.

1980s they made a Lil Happy Baby 14" tall. Sometime during the 1980s they dropped the "Lil" and and she was called just Happy Baby, a larger size at 16" was called: Talking Happy Baby who spoke six phrases. In 1985 a 16" tall doll was named Wake Up Happy Baby, who laughed, cooed and giggled when lifted. Horsman made Happy Baby named dolls into 2000.

Photo N/A

1974-1975 Happy Baby, 22"

1974 Tessie Talks, 18" tall, ventriloquist doll, or battery operated talker? I forget which, oops, has her name on her apron, a funny face only a Mother could love, sigh.

1974 Tessie Talks, 18"

1976 Elizabeth Taylor, 11 1/2" tall, from the movie The Blue Bird, came with three costumes; Witch, Light and Maternal love. Doll is very similar to the Mary Poppins doll in 1964. See the Elizabeth Taylor page for more details & photo's.

Photo courtesy Esther Ingelmo.

1976 Elizabeth Taylor 11 1/2"