World's greatest Ice Cream Doll find

[ForeverKokiri]

After finding one with a face and hands made of porcelain, all summer long I searched thrift stores relentlessly for Ice Cream Dolls. I was just about to give up, until I found... THIS.



Those are nine in-package ice cream doll head and hands right there, and they were all in the same thrift store, as well as the two crocheted dolls to the left and right of the first one I found. Only one or two of the in-package ones looked like they'd ever been opened at all -- minties!

The only one that was missing their hands was the small purple haired one. I got the entire set for about $10 total! A lot like this goes for a LOT more on ebay, especially all in mint condition like this. My sister had been wanting a purple haired head and a green haired head so she could try making her own doll, so I happily gave them to her. I have no objection to having seven doll head sets!

I'm not sure what brand the one on the right is. She's popped up on ebay several times with no tag at all, but the one on the left was a Darice, and there were two  in there. There were even two of the dark-skinned heads, never opened. Extra rare!



I actually opened all of these heads (starting with one of the dark skinned ones!) to let them air out -- you would not BELIEVE how plasticy they smell! Ugh! I plan on making dolls out of the head and hand sets and selling them.


I was just as excited about the boy ice cream doll on the right -- it's Plum Preserves, the crocheted version of boy Plum Puddin'! Even without his hat, I recognized this little guy right away. I may pay commission of my crochet-savvy friends to try and make his huge plum hat. The one on the left is "Grape Jelly," also from the same set. My sister wanted her because she spotted her, so she's with my sister now.

A few weeks later, I actually found ANOTHER Ice Cream Doll in a different store at home for a quarter! I don't have a picture of her and I can't find her pattern, but she has a hard plastic head with a yellow nose. She's sort of unusual, so I hope to put a picture of her up soon.

So, those are my ice cream dolls. I'm so glad that I was able to find all of these! This is one of the luckiest finds I've ever had.

[ecpblue]

Holy cow, INCREDIBLE FIND!!!  Don't you just love days like that!?!?!  Good thing you didn't give up!  By the way, I LOVE the sheets :-)

[ForeverKokiri]

Haha, those are my brothers' childhood sheet sets. They didn't want them anymore.

I found ANOTHER crocheted Ice Cream Doll in a thrift store a few days ago -- too bad I'm kind of broke, because she's really cute. She's dressed in a red, white, and blue winter dress with a scarf and even a crocheted hat, but her hands are on the wrong arms! Here's hoping I find a dollar in quarters lying around over the weekend so I can get her! LOL!

[ecpblue]

:-) Good luck with the change hunt!!  It sounds like a cute 1!

[invaderhorizongreen]

wow what a find !!  i wish i could get this lucky with MLP and the others i collect. i wonder if someone donated them because their grandma was going to use them but never got around to them.

[ForeverKokiri]

Look in every thrift store, consigment store, and antique store around you twice a week, and try to go to ones out of town when you can. That's how I find all my stuff!

[Mysstica]

I just discovered that I had some of these as a child. And I have a question:

Did they all come like this, or were there some sold (packaged) that were already assembled??

[ForeverKokiri]

I did some research when I was trying to figure out what the first one was and I can answer that.

Ice Cream Dolls were the brainchild of somebody at Village Toys, a subsidary of the J Shin company.



They were several different sizes and they have squat bodies, usually with red shoes. I have seen quite a few online with blinking eyes!



The Darice head and hands sets were licensed by J Shin for sure -- it says "Copyright J Shin" right on the tag! I can't remember if the Fibre Craft ones are or not though, and I don't know about any of the other companies that manufactured them. In any case, there were both manufactured Ice Cream Dolls AND kits to make your own!



The heads come in tons of sizes.



The heads are called "Ice Cream Doll Heads," "Yarn Doll Heads" and "Mitzi Doll Heads." Patterns come under TONS of names and were all over the place by different companies, including "Lollipop Lane" "Cupcake Corner" "Hug a Baby" "Mitzi Doll family" etc.



Proof that a yellow nosed head variant exists other than mine!

There were also ones with plastic bodies. Not sure if those were official or china knockoffs, but they are around.

And lastly...

I just found this sweet Plum Preserves doll on Etsy! As you can see, I already have one, but I just thought I'd share in case someone else wants one as well!

[ecpblue]

WOW!!  So informative!  Thanks for sharing!

[catlover51]

My mom was always making these and other dolls. Usually things that she made up and crocheted. These Ice Cream dolls were sold in pieces at places like Joann Fabrics and other craft/fabric stores. You could buy the heads with hands or pick different hands, bodies, and feet that came in way too many choices.
There were patterns that showed how to make different bodies and outfits for the dolls. Although again my mother would often make her own patterns.
I used to get so bored when we went shopping because she would take forever picking.
Then she would open them and throw them in big boxes to pick through when making a new one. Which is why I didn't remember what they were called. It was kind of creepy having boxes of random heads for these, Cabbage Patch fakies called Doll Babies, animal and other parts, googly and marble eyes, hands, feet, tails etc. 
I don't remember them sold assembled but that doesn't mean they weren't.

[Mysstica]

Interesting! Thanks for all of the info!

I'm guessing that mine were sold as heads and hands, then, because their bodies were crocheted. Knowing the history of them, though, sort of makes me wish I still had them.



(beside the panda on the bed)

[ForeverKokiri]

*huge gasp* Oh no! The one on the bed is made with the same pattern as the one I haven't taken a picture of yet!



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-80s-Ice-Cream-18-DOLL-Knit-Crochet-RED-YARN-HAIR-Darice-Dumplin-Design-/160666474010?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256877d61a

Here she is on ebay. Except, if yours had pink mitten gloves instead of hands, then I actually have your doll.



And here is your other doll. She's a dumplin designs pattern  (Strawberry Shortcake imitators, like the two with purple hair!) and her name is Orange Marmalade!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ORANGE-MARMALADE-Doll-Crochet-CUTE-1950-s-/160542380308?pt=US_Crocheting_Knitting_Patterns&hash=item2561125114

[Mysstica]

I don't remember if she had hands or mittens, but I'm thinking it was actual hands. Also, she had a piece around her waist that was very ruffly.

The second one looks different - were there other variations?

[ForeverKokiri]

Oop, you're right. Her outfit is a bit different.

I don't see any Lollipop Lane/Cupcake Corner doll patterns that quite resemble your doll, but here are some similar ones for reference.


Here is Orange Marmalade again. The hat looks a lot like the one your doll is wearing, only more ruffly.


Peppermint Stick looks a bit more like your doll, but her collar is different.


I doubt this is the one, but her colors are similar so I'm putting her up here just in case.


This one's got a collar like yours but the colors and hat are way off!

She definitely looks like a Lollipop Lane or Cupcake Corner pattern though. I think your mom may have, as you said before, sort of made her own pattern by combining several of the doll patterns.

[Mysstica]

This whole thing is just very cool.

I'm sure it wasn't my mama who made them, but I should ask her if she remembers where they came from.