It's a dramatic title, but it sure was a dramatic experience. You see, I found earlier this year on eBay, 2 dolls - 20" Mary Jane Effanbee dolls. 1 is what I have determined (and am open to be corrected. This is just through a great deal of online researching and asking questions in my Antique doll groups.) the 1921 Mary Jane. She is full composition, and the ad for her appeared in Sears and was the only one they sold with full composition, from what I've read. The other is what I believe - and has been confirmed by a fellow doll collector - to be the 1919 Mary Jane on a leather body. Someone had taken photos from their Effanbee book, showing a third version of Mary Jane. I thought it would be neat to have all three, but didn't really pursue finding that last version of the doll.
Earlier this week, when looking for a doll for a family member, I saw what I believed to be that third version of the Effanbee Mary Jane. She was advertised as being 20", and I got SO excited to have found her. She was only $52, so I hit that BIN quickly!
While waiting for her to be shipped, and I had to wait until the end of the week for her to finally go out, I had planned out what I was going to name her. I found a spot for her on my doll shelf where she would be safe next to my other 2 Mary Janes. My collection of these somewhat hard to find dolls would be complete! I couldn't believe my luck.
Fast forward to when she arrived on Monday, and when I finally got to open the box, I noticed something just a little concerning. It was a much smaller box than I would have thought a 20" doll would be in. I then shrugged it off with the worry of how they had managed to contort her into fitting into the box. I've seen dolls shipped in this way. And then, when I opened that box and found a much smaller box inside....Well, my heart sank. What the heck???
So, then I opened the second box, and carefully tucked inside was a small 12" doll. Adorable, yes. But the third 20" Mary Jane she was not. To say that I was devastated was an understatement. It was crushing. I politely contacted the seller, taking pics of the doll with a measuring tape and a screen capture of their listing where their AI description listed it as 20." (I detest AI. And why now, all of a sudden, that this is the Go To way to list an item for so many is really frustrating. It reads so idiotically, and often isn't even correct.)
I was very unhappy as I fixed dinner, waiting to hear back from the seller as I had asked if I could return the doll for a refund. I did hear back from the seller pretty quickly, and thankfully, this was a very sincere and nice seller, not going on the offensive. It was an honest mistake, but man, was it an upsetting one! I ended up agreeing to a partial refund and to keeping the doll. I admit, I was feeling a little sorry for the doll. It wasn't her fault she was the wrong doll, and 1 I would otherwise never have actually bought! Silly, I know, but I am one of those people who imagines dolls and plushies having feelings a little too easily.
And so now, I am asking my groups on FB what exactly this 12" little cloth body, jointed doll is with the composition shoulder head and arms/hands. I can't find ANYTHING like her anywhere. All I know is what materials she is made out of, and that she has Effanbee stamped on her. She definitely looks old. And her face looks SO much like the Mary Jane in the Effanbee book. But I am certain they didn't make her in 12."
I've named her Dolly, and will find a place to safely place her on my doll shelf. Here are pics of her. She definitely needs a new dress. I have to carefully - CAREFULLY - clean her, as she is composition and you can't get them wet. Her wig is mohair and has definitely seen better days. It's cute, though, and it fits her. I won't be replacing it. She did come in a dress that basically fits her, but I really do not like it. It's better than nothing though, so she will be safe in it until I can sew her something that is more her era.
