SKIPPER SALESMAN SAMPLE / PROTOTYPE DOLL & BOX LABELED DRESSED DOLL MATTEL RARE

Description

SKIPPER SALESMAN SAMPLE / PROTOTYPE DOLL & BOX LABELED DRESSED DOLL MATTEL RARE. Condition is "Used". Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.
During the last decades some Skippers were found which differ from the SL dolls sold in 1964 and 1965. These Skippers are often being referred to as “Sample dolls” or "Prototypes" I call them “Test-market” dolls, because they definitely were neither Sample dolls nor Prototypes. They came in the regular boxes and had the basic hair colors. A very small number was sold as "Dressed Dolls" (pls. see chapter "Dressed Doll Boxes). Doll markings: Skipper © 1963 Mattel, Inc.
These dolls are much rarer than the later Skipper dolls, Without much doubt though these dolls were the first Skipper dolls ever produced in small numbers. For a long time it was assumed, that they were handed out to Mattel employees only, prior to mass production. This must have been in 1963. But some of them definitely were also sold in stores to the public - in the same box and with the same accessories like the regular issue. I once met a German lady who showed me her Test Market doll and told me that her father got her from the New York Toy Fair in 1963. I couldn't find any proof for this though. In the meantime, I talked to another original owner of a Test Market doll who also thinks she got her doll in 1963. The dolls that were in the Dressed Doll Boxes are few and far between. Extremely Rare if you can find them at all/
This doll has blue , from the head band she is wearing on her side of face, you can't see it with her hair in front. She is beautiful otherwise. Smoke and Pet free home.