Customer Reviews

Girls' Toys of the Fifties and Sixties: Memorable Catalog Pages from the Legendary Sears Christmas Wishbooks 1950-1969

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a collector of hard plastic dolls, I'd hoped that this would be a helpful guide to identifying dolls of the 1950s and determining their original accessories. But there are very few dolls depicted and the coverage is inconsistent. There are no dolls in the first selection (for 1950), 2 pages for 1951, none for 1952, none for 1953, 2 pages for 1954, 5 pages for 1955, 1/2 page for 1956, none for 1957, none for 1958, none for 1959, 5 pages for 1960 (that year's excerpt from the Wish Book is all dolls), 1/2 page for 1962, 1 page for 1963, none for 1965, 2 pages for 1966, none for 1967, 2 pages for 1968, and 2 pages for 1969.

The explanation for this cursory treatment of dolls in a book titled "Girls' Toys"? The author evidently was reserving them for another compilation, advertised in this volume, titled _Doll and Teddy Bear Department_. That book showcases the doll and bear pages from the _Sears WishBooks_ from 1950-69. (...)

Aside from silently restricting the doll-coverage in order to produce a further volume, the author has selected for some years pictures of exactly the same toys (the electric piano, the tea sets, the toy kitchens), so the coverage is repetitive.

I was led to buy this book by the recommendations of the other reviewers, but if, like me, your primary interest is in the 1950s and in doll collecting, I would advise you to save your money.

Thomas Holland's book Girls' Toys of the fifties and sixties is a faithful reproduction of the fantastic Sears Christmas catalog toy pages from 1950 to 1969. The large 8 1/2 x 11 inch format of the book allows it to show close ups of the popular toys from each of these years. These pictures are an invaluable resource to help collectors of toys from this era decide what pieces actually came with the toys. As a collector of tin dollhouses, I found the pictures a huge help in identifying the furniture and tiny accessories for each of my houses. The only drawback to the book is the fact that it is in black and white. I enjoyed this book immensely, it was like being a kid again, devouring each page of toys and memories.

Although I am more a child of the 60s and 70s, I loved this book. It was interesting to look through, and had many many toys in it, some I do remember from the 60s. It was fun to look at the prices too! If you grew up in these decades you will certainly get a kick out of finding things you had, or toys you hadn't thought of in many years.

Despite the fact that the cover shows Betsy McCall, Barbie and Raggedy Ann on the cover, this book has no dolls in it. Who knew that dolls were not a girl toy? If you want to see dolls,of this era you need to buy the companion book "Girl Toys of the 50s and 60s -Department of Dolls and Bears". All the pictures are black and white even though many were in color in the catalog. Some of the pictures are very poor quality. Still it is interesting to see doll houses, Disney figures, doll buggys and puppets of that time.

I bought this book hoping to see the doll that I had "wished for" one Christmas and had gotten from Santa. Sadly to say, it wasn't in any of the pictures listed. But, the book is still a fascinating read. It's now a "coffee table" book at our house and all our guests enjoy looking through it, too.

Don't pay $175 for this, as I have seen listed. You can find this book for $20 if you shop around.

Every page you go "oh yeah" I remember that one ..

This is really a great book for the Baby Boomer Generation! I have a super time just looking at all the childhood toys that I had totally forgotten existed. My Favorites are from the 1960's! If you are a Chatty Cathy collecctor then this is a Must Have book....Her Sears ads are in here!