Betsy Wetsy
| Betsy Wetsy | |
| Manufacturer | Ideal Toy Company |
| Features | "Wetting" Sleep eyes Jointed limbs |
| Release Date | 1934 |
| Country | United States |
Betsy Wetsy was one of the most popular drink and wet dolls of the Baby Boom era,[1] originally issued by the Ideal Toy Company of New York in 1935.[2] Named for the daughter of Abraham Katz, the head of the company,[1] the doll's special feature was urinating after a fluid was poured into her open mouth. [2] The doll was made in several sizes in the 1940s[2] and saw a spike in populairty in the 1950s.[2] Betsy Wetsy was produced with either molded hair, caracul wigs, or brown, blond, or red plugged hair. A layette, baby bottles, a plastic bath tub, and other accessories were available.
Effanbee had previously manufactured a similar doll, "Dy-dee," and a patent infringement suit resulted.[1] The judge ruled that drinking and urinating are natural movements and cannot be patented.[1]
A made-in-China version was issued in the late 1980s by Ideal to boost sales, but the doll never reached the success of the original.[1] Betsy Wetsy was one of the first major dolls to be produced in black versions.[2]
In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Betsy Wetsy to its Century of Toys List, a roll call commemorating the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Izen, Judith (2005). Ideal Dolls: Identification and Values. Collector Books.
- ^ a b c d e Waggoner, Susan. Under the Tree: the Toys and Treats That Made Christmas Special, 1930-1970. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007.
- ^ "Toy Industry Association Announces Its Century of Toys List." Business Wire, 21 January 2003. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
