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Dolls Roundtable: Dancing With Terri Lee Affordable Ballerina Spins Into Modern Age
Terri Lee bore the name of Violet’s own daughter, and from its inception in 1946, the doll became a fashion icon for little girls across the country. The ballerina, which received 5 TD (for TDmonthly!) stars from four reviewers and 4 stars from one reviewer, is part of the company’s play doll line. Roundtable participants included Ruth Mandt with granddaughter Paige (6); Barbara Smith with granddaughters Sydney (7) and Savannah (6); Collette Shockley, owner of The Littlest Princess Doll Shop in Norcross, Ga.; Kim Hobbs, owner of Hobbs House of Dolls in Marietta, Ga.; and doll collector Virginia Davis.  Princess Ballerina by Terri Lee Associates Age: 3 and up Gender: Girls MSRP: $19.95 TDmonthly rating:  PLAYABILITY Ruth, who thought the doll’s face beautiful, said, “Paige is always making her doll dance. … The little accessories (crown, flowers, compact and lip stick) were an added plus in allowing interaction with the doll.”  While Sydney liked the doll, she thought her sister Savannah, who is really into fashion dolls, would play with it more. “The doll looks like Cinderella,” Savannah said. “I love that she has a crown. I know she is a princess. She is so beautiful.” “What little girl couldn’t have a ball with these four dolls?” asked Virginia, noting that there are three other styles of the play doll: Pajama Party (redhead), School Days (blonde) and Birthday Party (brunette). “Even an old little girl like me would enjoy playing with them. The party doll looks so much like the Teri Lee I remember from the 1950s.” The two storeowners agreed that this doll would be perfect to try out over the holidays.  “My customers remember Terri Lee, and I would buy this for my 7-year-old granddaughter,” Collette told TDmonthly. “I want to stock this doll in my shop. I think it would be a great seller for the holidays.” “Grandmothers will love her because they remember the wonderful Terri Lee dolls of their youth. The doll has a sweet expression, and it even comes in a box (with a handle) designed to look like a trunk so you can keep up with all the doll’s clothes and accessories.” VALUE “I can’t believe the price is so good,” commented Virginia, reflecting the sentiment of all the Roundtable participants. “I know I can sell this doll for this price,” Collette confidently told TDmonthly. Likewise, Kim thinks “the economical price will really please parents.”  “The doll would make a great holiday or birthday gift for all the little girls in the family,” Ruth added. IMPROVEMENTS Barbara Smith thought her granddaughters were satisfied with the doll as is, but a few reviewers had some ideas for improvement. “It would be wonderful if additional outfits were sold packaged separately so that the doll could have more clothes. Paige likes the doll, but not as well as she has some of the others,” Ruth offered. Kim made a suggestion based on recent safety concerns in the toy industry: “Since it is made, painted and packaged in China, it would be nice if it came with a tag saying it had been safety tested by the company.” “I think the Terri Lee story is a very beautiful one, and it would be nice if the dolls came with a little booklet telling the story behind the doll,” Virginia concluded. Here are some Terri Lee offerings:
 Writer's Bio: Virginia Davis is a freelance writer who is considered an expert in the area of dolls and collectibles. She has written hundreds of articles on dolls and toys, as well as other subjects, for numerous publications. She lives in Georgia. Read more articles by this author |
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