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The Molded-on T-Strap Shoe Dolls

A typical Virga Playmate doll from the 1950's

the feet of these dolls have molded-on T-Strap shoes instead of toes

These dolls were made by a closely-related conglomerate of companies head by Beehler Arts:

Fortune Toys
Virga Dolls
Plastic Molded Arts (PMA)
Judd & Judd include Ontario Plastics, but their doll, Ontario Plastics Paula Sue, is so different that one has to question this. (She had toes, so she is definitely not a Molded-on T-Strap doll.)

Many small companies sold these dolls under their own labels. These include Kim, Niresk, Norma Originals, and Stashin.

These dolls were generally unmarked (a few PMA's are marked on the back), and they look very much alike.

IDENTIFICATION TIPS (CLICK HERE)

Dolls with molded-on shoes: How to tell one doll from the other

Although often called "Ginny-Generics," "Ginny Wannabees," etc. today, these dolls were not made to be no-name generics.

photos: Ebay listing

BEEHLER ARTS LTD

Beehler Arts was the parent company for Fortune and Virga - and made the clothes for the fixed-legged Costume Dolls. Beehler may have actually been the manufacturer for all these dolls - accounts vary on this subject.

photo: my collection

FORTUNE

Pam is Fortune's best-known doll, but they also sold a Jeanette and Ninette. These were essentially Pam in different packaging.

This doll was also the 8-inch LustreCreme Starlet doll

Fortune dolls' arms are made of a light colored, somewhat soft plastic that is different from the bodies and heads. Many people see this and think that these must be replacement arms. Not so...

photo: Carol Stover

ONTARIO PLASTICS

Paula Sue (Canadian)

Some doll historians (mainly the Judds) connect Ontario Plastics with the molded-on T-strap shoe dolls of Fortune, Virga, and PMA.

Looking at this doll, one has to question this. Paula Sue is a very different doll.

Her large head, thick neck, and face are not at all like the other dolls. Her feet have toes.

Paula Sue is quite rare today.

VIRGA had many lines, including:

Playmate series - frequently had girls' names - the most commonly used today is Lucy .
Photos: Ebay listings & my own
Lolly Pop Series - with their wild hair colors
VIRGA SCHIAPARELLI, called GoGo, ChiChi, GiGi, and TuTu, was a special-issue doll – with fancy Schiaparelli-designed clothes.

PMA
(Plastic Molded Arts)

PMA Joanie Pigtails

PMA was an extremely prolific manufacturer of dolls and doll parts. PMA made dolls and parts which they sold to many other companies. They also sold dolls under their own labels. Joanie Pigtails was their first Ginny-type doll. She was strung and wore, of course, pigtails. She was followed by Joanie Walker, who looked just like Fortune Pam or Virga Lucy.

Virga and PMA were among the very few companies to consistently produce a doll of color during the 1950's. The larger companies like Vogue Ginny and Cosmopolitan produced only a few, and, so far as I know, Nancy Ann (Muffie) never did.

Left: Virga PLaymate; Right and Center, PMA Joanie Pigtails

OTHER COMPANIES THAT SOLD THESE DOLLS:

KIM, marketed by the KIM Company, was made by Beehler Arts, but had bendable knees and a wide stance like Ginger.

Kim also came in a teen model identical to Virga's High-Heel Teen, and a Ginger version.

Thanks to Therese Beatie for helping me move KIM from the Mystery Dolls to this page!

Photo: Carol Stover

STASHIN DOLLS: The Stashin Doll Company sold two Ginny Look- Alike dolls, Andrea and Penny. They used the Virga/PMA doll, and sometimes painted the feet white.

Andrea

NORMA ORIGINALS, INC.
Photo: Ebay listing

NORMA ORIGINALS, INC. produced a beautiful doll that is virtually the same as Virga's Lucy, with middle finger fused, and molded-on T-strap shoes. The shoes are painted white, however, like the PMA dolls. Her face is richer in color, and her clothing exceptionally well-made.

NIRESK INDUSTRIES

marketed PMA's Joanie Pigtails as their own Janie Pigtails. Her shoes are painted white and she has the typical PMA painted lower eyelashes

Toward the end of the decade, Fortune & Virga also made dolls with toes, some with bendable knees:
photo: mine photo: ebay listing
Ballerina feet: The ballerina footed dolls have toes, and pointed-down feet.

Elite's Vicki is like Fortune Pam, only with toes and bendable knees.

For more about these dolls, see the Individual Company Pages:

<script src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=fauxfoxstudio&l=rc1&p=3&o=1" type="text/JavaScript"></script> <noscript><table border="0" cellpadding="0" width="392" height="67" cellspacing="0"><tr><td> <MAP NAME="bannermap"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="305, 54, 390, 66" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1"> <AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/fauxfoxstudio"></MAP> <img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/amzn_recommends/gnbox392x67.gif" width="392" height="67" border="0" usemap="#bannermap"> </td></tr></table> </noscript><A HREF="beehler_arts_virga.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Beehler Arts/Virga</A> | <A HREF="fortunepmavirgaID.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">How To Identify Fortune, Virga & PMA</A> | <A HREF="fortune.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Fortune Toys</A> | <A HREF="pma.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">PMA (Plastic Molded Arts)</A> | <A HREF="ontarioplastic.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Ontario Plastics Paula Sue</A> | <A HREF="virga.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Virga</A> <A HREF="appraisal.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Do Your Own Appraisal</A> | <A HREF="historical_overview.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Historical Overview</A> | <A HREF="chart.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">All the Dolls</A> | <A HREF="lesser-known_dolls.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Lesser-Known Dolls</A> | <A HREF="alexander.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Madame Alexander</A> | <A HREF="betsymccall.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Betsy McCall</A> | <A HREF="ginger.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Ginger</A> | <A HREF="ginny.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Ginny</A> | Molded-On T-Strap Shoe Dolls | <A HREF="mindy.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Mindy</A> | <A HREF="muffie.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Muffie</A> | <A HREF="8-inch_teen_dolls.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">8-Inch Teen Dolls</A> | <A HREF="barbie.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">Barbie</A> | <A HREF="9_-_inch_dolls.htm" TARGET="" STYLE="{text-decoration: none;}">9 - Inch Child-Bodied Dolls</A>