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Answers provided are my opinion only, backed by
30 years of Buddy Lee doll collecting experience and research.
Betty Lee Doll Wigs
Betty Lee doll wigs were fashioned from mohair that was glued onto the heads in a marcel style. The wigs are NEVER sewn (as a mohair doll wig might be). They DO NOT have a sewn side or middle parted hair. I have seen several Betty Lee dolls with replacement wigs that are from antique dolls. If you see sewn stitching on the wig it's NOT original.
Did The H.D. Lee Company Make The Betty Lee Doll?
Let’s revisit this discussion.
“Did the H.D. Lee Company make the Betty Lee Doll? The answer is No.
The H.D. Lee Company did not make the flapper outfits or market the Betty Lee doll. However, the Betty Lee doll is the same composition doll as a Buddy Lee doll (marked with the Lee house mark or unmarked). The dolls were manufactured by an outside company (still not known who made them definitively) for the H.D. Lee Company.
These same composition dolls were also sold to other doll companies such as Columbia and Gem which manufactured the flapper type outfits and wigs. The Columbia and Gem doll companies then sold them as “Character Dolls”.
Betty Lee dolls are not "carnival" dolls as some have written. "Carnival" dolls are different and made by a another company.
The name Betty Lee is a coined name used by collectors. They are highly collectible and considered part of the Buddy Lee doll collecting world.
Did They Make A Vintage Buddy Lee Pepsi-Cola Doll?
The answer is NO.
As to date, all Pepsi-Cola dolls have turned out to be reproductions released in the 2000's!
The only vintage authenticated Buddy Lee doll which represented a soft drink company
and manufactured by the H.D. Lee company was Coca Cola. I have seen a Dr. Pepper, but it turned out to be a Sanforized outfit with an adult patch sewn onto the front of the hat and back of the shirt.
Cities Service Buddy Lee Doll Vintage or Reproduction?
Cities Service Buddy Lee doll is a reproduction which was made in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is easy to tell by the hats. Where the material comes together around the head is made from black vinyl, which attaches to a vinyl brim. On the inside of the hat where the black vinyl is around the head, there is a white backing on the vinyl piece.
1950s original Buddy Lee dolls have black elastic and a cardboard black brims on the hats. The inside of the hats do not have any white backing. There are No vintage Cities Service Buddy Lee dolls made by the Lee Company that have been documented.
The material on the Cities Service Buddy Lee reproduction doll, is a somewhat shinny polished cotton. The dolls are composition (some may quote/refer to plaster) but have a new look. The logo is quite large and not to scale. The belts are a matte plastic with gold buckel. The pants are hemmed strait at the foot and do not have a rolled cuff.
What Materials Are Buddy Lee Dolls Made Of?
Two types of materials were used to make Buddy Lee dolls. The first type dolls were made from composition which consisted of a sawdust (also reffered to as a wood flour) and a glue mixture which was formed into a one piece body, (with separate arms) and then dipped into an oil base paint. The second type dolls were made of molded hard plastic with separeate arms.
Are Lion Dolls Buddy Lee Dolls?
No! Lion dolls are a competitor clone doll that was produced in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Lion Uniforms Company. There are not made by the Lee company.
What Is A Lil Phil Doll?
Lil Phil is a reproduction doll made in the 1990s and 2000s and was modeled after the Buddy Lee Doll. Many people sell them online as original, but they are usually tagged at the back of the waist with a Lil Phil tag.
How Can I tell Original Buddy Lee Doll Patches?
Original Buddy Lee doll patches are sewn onto the fronts of the shirts. They do not have patches sewn onto the backs except for Chetopa Twill outfit. Patches are in proportion to the dolls. Oversized patches sewn on the back are incorrect. The only oversized patch originally found to date is that found on the green hat of the first Phillips 66 Buddy Lee doll. Please be aware of Sanforized uniforms especially in brown & white, being used with adult size patches and sold as original. Adult size patches are usually sewn to the backs of the shirts or to the fronts of the hats because they are larger. Some smaller adult patches have been found sewn to the fronts of shirts. I am always available to help with authentication of patches.
What Color Is The Original Texaco Buddy Lee Outfit?
Dark khaki green. Look for the patches to be proportional to the doll. The patches will be sewn on the dolls left side of the shirt and front of the hat. Please note: that the Texaco outfit has been reproduced several times over the years. I am always available to help with authentication of outfits.
Cities Service Buddy Lee Doll Vintage or Reproduction?
Cities Service Buddy Lee doll is a reproduction which was made in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is easy to tell by the hats. Where the material comes together around the head is made from black vinyl, which attaches to a vinyl brim. On the inside of the hat where the black vinyl is around the head, there is a white backing on the vinyl piece.
1950s original Buddy Lee dolls have black elastic and a cardboard black brims on the hats. The inside of the hats do not have any white backing. There are no vintage Cities Service Buddy Lee dolls made by the Lee Company that have been documented.
The material on the Cities Service Buddy Lee reproduction doll, is a somewhat shinny polished cotton. The dolls are composition but have a new look. The logo is quite large and not to scale. The belts are a matte plastic with gold buckel. The pants are hemmed strait at the foot and do not have a rolled cuff.
Faked Buddy Lee Doll Foot Labels
It has been brought to our attention again, that a certain internet seller is printing the Buddy Lee foot label that is shown in the book and cutting them out and attaching them to the feet of Buddy Lee dolls. In the book, I altered the shape of the foot label so people could tell if someone is using the picture from the book to create such labels. Also, you can tell because they are not die cut. If you have any questions to the authenticity of a Buddy Lee doll foot label, I am always happy to help with identification.
How Do You Tell An Original Buddy Lee John Deere
Outfit From A Reproduction?
The original Buddy Lee John Deere outfit is dark green. The buttons are grey, thick, round edge with two holes. The hat is a no band cap style with 6 sections that have metal eye-lets and a covered button at the top. It has an all matching green material brim with two lines of stitching. The logo is a yellow patch with green writing and outlined with red stitching. Logos are to scale.
There are two variations of reproduction Buddy Lee John Deere outfits. The first is a muddy green with white, flat, two hole buttons. It comes with an eight point hat with a black plastic brim. The logo patch is yellow with green writing but is outlined in green (original is red). The patches are bigger than the original.
The second is closer to the original in that the logos look the same. The hat came in two styles, a cap without the metal eye-lets or an eight point hat. Reproduction outfits are generally looser in fit. Most of the time they do not have a Lee label on the back of the pants but we have seen them both ways.
Is There Really A Betty Lee Doll?
Yes. However, Betty Lee is a coined name for this doll. The bodies are the same as a Buddy Lee doll which can be marked (with a Lee House Mark logo on the back) or unmarked. Under the glued on hair there is no paint (Buddy Lee doll heads are painted.) The wigs are made of mohair, wrapped, and glued in a Marcel style. The wigs are not sewn. Many Betty Lee dolls that have been sold through internet sites are actually Buddy Lee dolls that people have tried to make into Betty Lee dolls by adding wigs. Original Betty Lee dolls never came with braids or pigtails; nor were they fitted with human or saran hair.
Was Betty Lee Made By The Lee Company?
There is no written evidence that they were. The authors personal opinion is that because the dolls were made by an outside company for the Lee Company (that is still not known which outside company) the dolls were also sold to other companies (such as Columbia and Gem) who dressed and then sold them as "Character Dolls". This is most likely why Betty Lee dolls are not dressed in Lee outfits but came in flapper style clothes. See chapter 10 of the book for more details.
Is The Betty Lee Doll The Same As A Carnival Doll?
No, they have different bodies, arms, hair, face paint, and hand styles.
What Does The Genuine Jiffy Buddy Lee Represent?
The Genuine Jiffy Buddy Lee doll featuring a Hookless zipper was released in 1927. From our research, we believe is was made in conjunction with the Lee advertising campaign "On or Off in a Jiffy." Some people write that it is attributed to Jiffy Steamer Company. However, the Jiffy Steamer Company was founded in 1940.
What color are the stripes for the Buddy Lee Coca Cola outfit?
Original 1950's Buddy Lee Coca Cola doll outfits have green pin stripes.
Reproduction Buddy Lee Coca Cola outfits from the 1990's/2000's were produced with either red, black, or green pin stripes.
How To Tell The Difference Between A Genuine Buddy Lee Uniform and A Lion Doll Uniform When The Original Tags Are Missing or Replaced.
Buddy Lee Uniforms: Have two buttons on the front of the shirt. The pants Do Not have a button at the front to keep the them closed. (The pants are held closed by the belt).
Lion Doll Uniforms: Have three buttons on the front of the shirt. The pants Do have a button at the front to keep them closed.
Is It Authentic?
Recently, several carnival dolls have been sold on the internet which were/are being advertised as original Buddy Lee and Betty Lee dolls in rare outfits. Please know, that you can always email me with any questions you might have in regards to the authenticity of Buddy Lee or Betty Lee dolls.
Differences Between Buddy Lee and Lion Doll Gulf Uniforms
Buddy Lee Gulf Uniform: Has only two blue buttons on the front of the shirt and no button or button hole on the front closure of the pants. The logo has dark blue lettering with a large white shadow around the letters.
Lion Doll Gulf Uniform: Has three black buttons on the front of the shirt and a button with a button hole that closes the front of the pants. The logo has royal blue lettering with no or little white shadow around the letters. Also, the back of the shirt will have a rectangular Lion label. If the label was removed it might show a rectangular stitch pattern.
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