Terri Lee My First Doll

2010-04-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

I never played with dolls as a kid. I played outdoor games and was far too busy to even think about dolls. But in 2000 I discovered dolls on eBay and the rest is history. My experience was that I fell in love with a particular doll and didn't even bother to look at anything else.

My first love was a very unique doll from the 1950s. She was so odd looking that I found her fascinating. Her name was Terri Lee. After researching her, I found that she was only produced for about 12 years in the 1950s. The company for some reason could not make it, so they discontinued making them. That, in itself, makes any doll more valuable. There weren't as many black dolls manufactured as white dolls in the 40s and 50s, so today they are hard to find and therefore more valuable when you find one in good condition.

All About Terri Lee Dolls:

Terri Lee was first produced as a composition doll in the late 1940s but most of her life (until 1962) she was a popular hard plastic doll. Terri Lee has a unique face mold and a devoted following among doll collectors. Terri Lee was made by an American company.

Years of Production of Terri Lee Dolls:

Terri Lee was first offered for sale in 1946. She was a composition doll until 1948. Then she was produced in Hard Plastic. In 1950, she was made in vinyl for a short time, but that was not successful. The original family owned company produced Terri Lee dolls in Nebraska and then California. A fire struck the factory in 1958. Dolls were then produced by several companies that owned the rights to the molds until approximately 1962. In 1999, Terri Lee reproductions were produced by Knickerbocker dolls for approximately three years. Then from 2003 through 2006, Terri Lee dolls were again produced.

Company That Produced Terri Lee Dolls:

The first company that produced Teri Lee dolls was owned by the family of creator Violet Lee Gradwohl. They produced Terri Lee until 1958, when various companies including Magna and Mar-fan. Knickerbocker Dolls produced Terri Lee reproductions from 1999 until their demise in 2002. Finally, Terri Lee Associates was formed by original family members and they produced Terri Lee dolls for both collectors in children from 2003 through 2006, with play dolls sold in Target.

Material, Size and Characteristics:

Terri Lee dolls are 16" tall. The dolls have painted eyes and the bodies are jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips. Terri Lee was made in composition from 1946-1947, hard plastic from 1947-1962 with production briefly in soft vinyl in 1960. Most of the reproduction Terri Lees have been made with hard vinyl.

Prices and Secondary Market for Terri Lee Dolls:

Terri Lee dolls have had a relatively steady market in the past few years. Nice examples that need a little TLC can be found in the $200 range. Rarer and mint models can run $400 to $600 or more. Patent Pending marked dolls are highly sought after also. Dolls in desirable outfits include the Bluebird, Campfire Girl, Formal outfits and Cowgirl outfits. Early composition dolls with minimal crazing and mint condition are rare and bring a premium. Tagged Terri Lee clothing in mint condition is also highly sought after.

Marks on Terri Lee Dolls:

Composition dolls are marked on their backs TERRI LEE // PAT. PENDING or TERRI LEE PATENT PENDING. Painted plastic and hard plastic dolls are marked TERRI LEE // PATENT PENDING through 1951 and then TERRI LEE from 1952 onward.

Other Terri Lee Characters:

Terri Lee has a male friend, also 16 inches tall, called Jerri Lee who was produced since the late 1940s. She has a little sister, a 10 inch baby doll called Linda Lee introduced in 1950. A tinier, 10" version of Terri Lee and Jerri Lee was introduced in 1954 and 1955 respectively, and was called Tiny Terri Lee and Tiny Jerri Lee. A black version of Terri Lee and Jerry Lee were made also.

I have since expanded my doll collection, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for the Terri Lee dolls.