What Size IS my vintage American Character Tiny Tears Doll?

Have you ever asked this question?  I sure did.

When I first started making and selling doll clothes on Ebay I knew very little about Tiny Tears dolls and thought I would have to purchase 10 different dolls to get every size available! But I soon found an expert on Tiny and discovered that the vintage Tiny Tears from the 1950’s into the early 1960’s only came in FOUR sizes: 11 ½", 13 ½", 16" and 20". That’s right, only FOUR official sizes!

So how do you know which size you have, and more importantly, which size clothing do you purchase for it?

First step, measure your doll from the top of her head to the tips of her toes – not to her heels, to her toes! A simple way to do this (other than to lay her on a tape measure or yardstick) is to lay her on a piece of paper bigger than she is and mark the paper at the top of her head and tips of her toes, then measure the distance between your marks on the paper.

• If your doll measures 11 ½ inches or LESS you have the 11 ½" doll (waist 7 ½")
• If your doll measures 12" to 13 ½" you have the 13 ½" doll (waist 8 ½")
• If your doll measures 14" to 16" you have the 16" doll (waist 10") and
• If your doll measures 18" to 20" you have the 20" doll. (waist 13 ½")

The only 12" VINTAGE American Character Tiny tears is the 1964 version called Teenie Tiny Tears (the modern reproductions tend to be 12" rather than the original 13 ½" and the IDEAL version in 1971 was 12")

The only 17" Tiny Tears is the 1964 version

There was also a 9" Tiny in 1964 called Teenie Weenie Tiny Tears

There were no 14", no 15", No 18" and No 19" Tiny Tears produced by the American Character Company although the dolls might actually measure these numbers they are not the official sizes. If you have a Tiny that measures 15 ½" you have the 16" doll. If your Tiny measures 19" you actually have the 20" doll. 

I hope this guide will help you in your search for each size doll and for clothing, shoes and socks to fit your precious baby dolls. If you are interested in a seller’s outfit that states an off size you can email the seller and ask her to measure her model’s waist. If it measures the same as your doll’s waist you can be nearly certain the outfit will fit your doll.  If still in doubt, compare neck measurements as the neck is also a critical fitting point.

Have a great time buying dolls and clothes on ebay!  Sally Sharp/Sharpspeaking/Sally Sharp Originals