Vintage Madame Alexander CISSY Doll, or Why it Pays to Take Your 10 year old Shopping with You!

Pickings at our local Goodwills have been kind of slim lately.  The only dolls I've been able to find in vast abundance seem to be Cabbage Patch, Disney Princesses, and 18" dolls from Target and Walmart.  I hold my breath every week upon entering my favorite Goodwill, the one that has the best toy aisle and where I've found the best dolls.  I'm always hopeful that this will be the time I discover that awesome find!  But more often than not, I've been walking out of the store with one or two mediocre dolls, or maybe even nothing.  Until this week!

Right now, this is my favorite child.  Haha!  Just kidding.  But that's what I told her when she returned to me in the Goodwill toy aisle after walking around the store with her brother to look at other things.  They get kind of bored, waiting for me to paw through ALL of the toy shelves, just in case something might be hiding.  I had discovered one Journey Girl and two, vintage, Madame Alexander babies, but that was it.  And then here comes my daughter, holding out a large doll in my direction.  "Here, Mom," she says.  "Do you want this?  It was in one of the carts they just rolled out to put away on the shelves."

This is what she handed me:

I might have squealed, just a little.  It's a Madame Alexander CISSY, people!  A vintage one, from the 50's, in her original, tagged dress!  She even has her matching headpiece, underwear, and stockings!  No shoes, but I'm not quibbling about that!

I've never held one in person before.  I'm sure they've been at doll shows, but since this isn't really the type of doll I collect, I've probably walked right by.  But I've read articles about her lately, and seen the huge following she seems to have.  So as soon as I saw her, I knew what she was!

She is missing some eyelashes from her right eye, and her right arm is dirty and discolored.  Her dress is also pretty filthy.  But besides that, she is in wonderful condition.  Her hair is very pretty and in it's original set.

She still has the ring on her finger!

Poor, discolored arm.  I will try to clean it and see what I can do about lightening it.  Somebody said that this is a result of being exposed to harsh lighting.  I will try coating it with 10% benzoyl peroxide zit cream and see what happens.  It usually takes out ink stains from vinyl dolls very well, so maybe it'll work for this, too.

Tag at back neckline

Back view of her gorgeous gown

I think the original color was an aqua blue, but it has faded and become quite dingy with grime.

Her underwear elastic has stretched out

Here you can really see her discolored arm compared to the rest of her body

Still, I think she's in really good shape, considering her age!  She has extra joints at the elbows and knees.  I think she's some sort of "walker", because when you move one leg, the other one moves in the opposite direction.

I asked questions about her on a Cissy Facebook group (there's a group for just about everyone and everything on Facebook!).  I was told that she is a "1956 Fashion Parade", #2030, wearing a bridesmaid gown of pleated tulle and netting.  

I have so much to learn about these dolls!  At first, I was thinking about selling her, but now I'm not so sure.  She's growing on me!  And her clothing...oh my!  She had quite the wardrobe!  I've seen patterns for her, and I think it'd be so fun to make her 50's style clothing...one of my favorite eras.

The best thing about this find...just look at the price tag:

Yes, $5.00!

I find it hysterical that Goodwill prices their "Collector Porcelain Dolls" usually twice as expensive, and yet they are barely worth anything.  In fact, I usually just buy them for parts (wig, shoes, eyes, etc) when they are half off.  But this doll, worth so much more on the secondary market among collectors, was only deemed worthy of a $5 price tag.  Don't worry, Cissy, I will make you beautiful again!  

The moral of this story:  never underestimate the power of your 10 year old to seek out and recognize vintage dolls that may be of interest to you.  I have taught her well!