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Official NFL and AFL Souvenir Dolls by Horsman (1967)

Official NFL and AFL Souvenir Dolls by Horsman (1967)

Dancing Cheerleader and Scrambling Quarterback dolls were made by Horsman in 1967. They were officially licensed by the two major league football organizations at the time – the American Football League and National Football League. (The two leagues merged in 1970.) The dolls were dressed in team colors with the logos on the Cheerleader’s sweater and on the Quarterback’s helmet.

The dolls are 6 inches tall and made of vinyl with a key wind mechanism in their backs. They have painted brown eyes glancing slightly to the left. The Cheerleader has rooted dark blonde hair and her right hand is molded to hold the team’s pennant. The Quarterback has painted hair and his right hand has a hole in it through which the football is attached on a plastic peg. Their outfits are flocked fabric without edge finishes. They close in the back with a single donut snap. Their shoes are mounted on a plastic disk which helps to keep them stable while they move. I haven’t seen one in action, but I’m guessing it’s more of a vibrating shuffling than a “dance” or a “scramble.”

The Dancing Cheerleader and Scrambling Quarterback were sold in display boxes which are shrink wrapped. The back of the boxes list the teams in the same League, but both dolls were available for both leagues. These dolls are sought after by football fans and collectors as well as doll collectors and collectors of wind-up toys.

The Dancing Cheerleader is pretty much the same doll as Horsman’s Mini Dancer, except that Mini Dancer doesn’t have her right hand molded to hold an object.

Composition in Competition: UFDC Region 14 Conference, 2008

Composition in Competition: UFDC Region 14 Conference, 2008

In May of 2008 I attended the United Federation of Doll Club’s Region 14 Conference hosted by the Shaker Doll Club in Albany, NY. One of the best things about being a member of UFDC is the opportunity to attend these regional events, where you get together with other collectors to learn about dolls in programs and seminars, attend special doll events, meet doll artists, eat too much, shop in a sales room with great dealers, take home wonderful souvenirs, and generally have a blast. My favorite part is always the Competitive Exhibit. Attendees enter their dolls in various categories (like the Effanbee dolls above) which are judged by accredited doll experts on criteria including age, rarity and condition. The photos in this post are of just the dolls entered in the categories for composition dolls at that event.

Effanbee composition dolls
A closer look at two of the Effanbee dolls. The girl in blue is Patricia.
Effanbee Hawaiian doll
Effanbee Hawaiian doll
Effanbee Little Lady doll
Another Effanbee doll – Little Lady, perhaps?
Madame Alexander composition dolls
These are the entrants in the Madame Alexander category.
Alexander Jeannie Walker
A stunning example of Alexander’s Jeannie Walker took home the blue ribbon in this category.
Horsman composition dolls
This is the Horsman group.
Averill Manufacturing dolls
This is the category for dolls made by Averill Manufacturing.
Averill Manufacturing doll
A better look at the blue ribbon winning doll in the Averill Mfg. category.
Composition dolls by various makers
This category included dolls made by other manufacturers.
Dewees Cochran boy doll
A stunning boy doll by Dewees Cochran.
Cameo Scootles doll
Adorable Scootles doll by Cameo in a rare small size.