Most times, I try and find you bargains. This time, it’s more of a Sanity Check + Mystery research. Find out how much these Peanuts Mascot Dolls are being sold for an where I found them on the full Patreon post.
What I Love – When people get Peanuts character names wrong. Usually, it’s Linus that gets his name wrong, but now Lucy gets hers changed to “Clara.” While this doll vaguely resembles Clara, the villain, in Snoopy Come Home, there’s no chance of this “1963” doll being a representation of a character from the 1970’s. It’s a forgivable offense though. The seller is from Romania and perhaps Lucy was renamed for that audience?
Pillow Doll Connection
Moving along, the real reason I wanted to feature these dolls is for Snoopy and Lucy’s resemblance to Determined Productions’ Pillow Dolls from 1967. Woodstock featured above is what I usually associate with the 1973 Mini Mascot Dolls from Determined Productions. Follow the links above to see photos of each type. You can tell that the Pillow Dolls have a much earlier Peanuts memorabilia feel, while the Mini Mascot Dolls reflect a more “on model” modern Peanuts.
I feel like there’s a piece of the puzzle missing. First, it could just be documentation of the Pillow Doll-style Mini Mascot dolls wasn’t cataloged in the two collector guides I use (Podley and Margolin.) If anyone knows what a huge task of tracking all Peanuts collectibles is, then it’s the three of us. Second, maybe the Pillow Doll-style Mini Mascot Dolls weren’t released in the United States? The internet age may have made it easier for them to trickle into the US market for me to discover. Finally, maybe Determined Productions released the Pillow Doll-style Mini Mascot Dolls around 1973, but weren’t widely produced since they would have looked so dated by that time. They may have been a small success and led to a redesign with updated character models.
The revealing fact that these may be later than the original pillow dolls – Lucy’s mouth! The Pillow Doll has an open mouth, and the Mascot doll has a closed mouth. For today, I’m not going to seek out a Lucy Pillow doll with a closed mouth. Feel free to jump in and reveal what you find in the comments.
Theories Welcome
I welcome your theories or knowledge of the “before I was born” times to help chisel away at this mystery.
There is also a Charlie Brown Pillow Doll-style Mini Mascot Doll in my collection, but sadly, I have no photo to share.
Also, what are Mini Mascots? Just whatever you want them to be? Or was there a more specific purpose for them like rear-view mirror hanger. Some of the designs were used as car air fresheners later on by Hollywood Accessories. Examples: Doghouse and Bowtie.
Explore more Collectible Peanuts Dolls in our online collection.
