1965 Bewitched - Samantha Stephens doll by Ideal.

I'm sure you'll be amazed to discover that I've always been a fan of the 1960s TV Series Bewitched, what with this blog having the word kitsch in it's title and all!

There are just so many things to love about the show, Elizabeth Montgomery is beautiful, glamorous and sassy as Samantha Stephens, Agnes Moorhead is as amazing as ever in her role as the glamorous 1000+ something year old Endora and the ever funny Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur and then there's all those sets, beautifully and  sumptuously decorated in all the latest mod cons the 1960s had to offer.

Add to that, Witches, Warlocks, and back-firing spells and for me you're onto a winner!

One thing I always wanted growing up, apart from being Tabitha Stephens, was a Samantha Stephens Witch doll. But I didn't think they existed so I was pretty surprised to discover recently that in fact they do!

They were produced a decade before I was born, and as I obviously grew up on re-runs, the Bewitched merchandise had already run it's course years before, not that there was much of it.

The Samantha Stephens doll was made by the Ideal Toy Company in 1965, with a baby version of Tabitha being released in 1966, both are now sadly quite rare.

Ebay.com

The Samantha Stephens doll as a 12" version of everybody's favourite Witch, dressed in a long red velvet cocktail style dress, covered in glittery sparkles, complete with red Witch's hat, shoes and straw broom. She had movable arms and bendable legs, 

A boxed doll will set you back between $499.99 and $625.99, nude dolls are much cheaper but you're still looking at around $56.00 for her.

The above image is taken from an auction which ends in 8 days, the seller is asking for $625.99, for the doll in a reproduction box, but generously offers the option of paying for her in 6 instalments of $105.00, if you are interested you can find the auction page here: 1965 IDEAL BEWITCHED SAMANTHA DOLL

Oh and before I go, Endora wants to say "Hi"!

Vintage Ideal Doll Copyright 1974 Made in Hong Kong Drinks And Wets

Just bought this little girl, I have been looking for her for years, I had one of these as well as a Teeny Tiny Tears doll when I was small, and I loved them both so much, I have no idea what happened to either of them, but I have been trying to replace them both for about 10 years now! The problem is the doll has to be "Just right" I can't just say "Well it's a Tiny Tear" and opt for the older and Larger one, or get a brown haired one or something like that, it has to be exactly as I remember her or I just won't be able to love her in the same way!

Well yesterday I mailed a lovely seller on Ebay who had a famosa baby for sale, she looked similar but not quite, so I asked her some questions...while I discovered her doll is not the one I've been searching for (it was bigger too) her reply did prompt me to keep trying different keywords until I found something like her or at least some info on who is is and who made her...I got lucky - Very Lucky!

I found her... for $1.99!!
This works out to approx £1.24. The postage was $12.60, (approx £7.83).

Here's the writeup and photos from the listing:

This auction is for an Ideal Baby Doll that drinks and wets. She is in good condition free of any damage but could use a good bath. She is marked on her back. She measures approx. 6-1/2" long.

 Mine had on the exact same Romper Suit, so I'm sure it is the original outfit she was sold in!

 Even though her body parts are moulded all in one, it didn't distract at all and I remember her having an almost skin-like feel to her,

Here's another listing I found, I almost bid on this one, until I found my one on a buy it now...BUY IT NOW FOR £1.24??! 

Ideal Baby Doll is about 6.5 inches tall. It is called Baby Baby.

She had a bottle that is made of hard plastic and is square at the top of the nipple.


When inserted into her mouth and pushed slightly, her cheeks pull in a little like she is sucking the bottle. 
Then if you turn the bottle when it is slightly pushed in, her eyes will close.She is from 1974.
 Markings on her back read B-6-B-52 


Mouth is open and looks like she is a drink and wet doll. Head does move side to side.
 Arms and legs are fixed and do not move. She is in a cute blue romper

I don't actually remember her being a "wetting" doll, but the thing I absolutely adored about her was that her cheeks went in as you pressed the bottle in and it looked like she really was drinking, I had forgotten about the "eye close function" but since reading it, I have remembered it so vividly.

I'm so looking forward to her arrival, from America, it'll be at least a week, but still, that doesn't matter, it's not like I haven't already waited a while so an extra week is nothing.

I'm looking forward to washing her and getting her back as close to how mine was when I last held her, I think the hair is made of the kind of ylon that Frizzes with age and then stays like that forever, or at least until a re-root happens, but I don't care, I have no plans to re root either unless on closer inspection it really is bad, but I'll just have to wait and see for that one.

I'll have to see if the Baby Born Bottles I have here are a fit for her, but ultimately I'd like to get a couple of those clear ones with pink teets and a "milk" coloured liquid in them that looked so real, that I used to feed her and Tiny Tears with.

Oh wow I've just remembered I called my Tiny Tears Tina ...Now if only I could remember the name I gave to this one too!

The plan is to get the Teeny Tiny Tears soon, so they can both snuggle up together like my little ones used to...Fingers crossed!