I have 4 dolls, 2 of which are labelled Happy Dolls, and from my research, I believe they are made by the English doll maker, Peggy Nisbet in the 1960's. The tag of the ballerina doll reads "T.67 I am a little Ballerina and my name is NANETTE I dance on point and my favourite ballet is Swan Lake".
I like her best out of my 4 Peggy Nisbet dolls because of the faded mushroom colour of her tulle skirt and the cute hair do. Here is the other side of the tag that came with this doll:
My next favourite doll is this dancer with a frilly bonnet. I like the way Nisbet used fabric that makes the doll looks as though she has just done a twirl on the dance floor.
Next up is doll T.67 who is an Irish Colleen and her name is Bridget. 
These dolls are mostly in good order, the only consistent wear and tear is to the painted on shoes and socks.
These dolls are mostly in good order, the only consistent wear and tear is to the painted on shoes and socks. This doll was in very bad order when I got her. Her clothes were infested with moths, so I made her a new set. Her face is slightly chewed, and she has lost her hair.
I am pleased with the replacement blouse and apron I made for her, but the skirt turned out a little less full than it should have been, going on the look of the original original outfit:
On the original dress, they folded the skirt and then attached it to the bodice. I couldn't manage that with the fabric I used, which was 100 per cent wool. Once made, the outfits are then placed on the dolls, and the openings stitched together.
I do have some long mohair lengths and some acid free glue to try and give her some hair, so I will have a go at that at some stage.
These dolls are quite reasonably priced, and pop up all over the auction sites on the internet, so if you are interested in collecting them, now is a good time I think.
3 comments:
They are all beautiful! I feel sorry for the last one, poor girl, loosing her hair and her clothes... You did a fabulous job replacing the clothes. Perhaps you'll find a way of replacing the hair too...
I just found a Nanette in box with blonde hair that was given to us after the death of a friend. It is in beautiful condition. Do you have any other information?
Hi Kareby,
Any doll still in it's original box is indeed a good find. How lucky you are. I don't hold out to be an expert on dolls, but it appears to be a general rule that mint condition and having the original box means you can get top dollar for your doll should you decide to sell. Mine was not in good condition like yours, and I think I only paid $20 Australian for her. If you wanted to get an idea on prices, have a look on Ebay. I think a lot of these dolls were produced, so prices might not be high. However dolls which are of a popular theme such as a ballerina might make a higher price.
I have had trouble myself tracking down information on this doll maker, but she was English, and began making dolls in 1952. Her first doll was to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The company is still going today, so perhaps you could try and find their details on the internet and contact them.
Lizzie.
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