How do you date thumbelina doll cases.. 1 w/ballons, 1 w/thumbelina name and 1 with TM above thumbelina name?

Question

I have seen Thumbelina cases with ballons on front with Thumbelina name on doll case then I have seen pictures of kids with Thumbelina name on front of doll case and then pictures of kids on front of doll case but above the Thumbelina name is TM... so how would one date the original cases from reproduction models or who made cases and are each company (ideal, cbs and mattel have their own version of case) and was there any other companys other than the 3 I have listed that made the Thumbelina doll and or cases... thanx

Answer 1

Ideal made Thumbelina and the cases from 1961 until the 1980's. CBS bought Ideal in 1983 and continued the Thumbelina line until the last one was made in 1989. They then stop producing dolls all together. I don't know when Mattel aquired the rights to use the Thumbelina name, but it had to be after 1989 and prior to 1997 when a Mattel Thumbelina that is listed on ebay was made. I haven't seen any reproduction cases. I suggest you search ebay for cases like the ones you have and compare.

Answer 2

try checking the manufacter on the box itself i think and this is only my opinion you know that the TM is trademark so you know it has to be a reproduction of the case. try researching thumbelina up on the web ( i.e. yahoo! search or google ) but try looking for a date on the case no matter what it has on it then if that doesn't work try looking up the manufacter.