Changes: Pre-Mattel Dolls

Revision as of 10:11, 12 October 2020

Pre-Mattel Dolls (or PM Dolls) is a fandom term for the dolls that were released and available before Mattel purchased American Girl. These are also called PC dolls, after Pleasant Company; when Mattel purchased the company, they made several changes to the doll structure.

Transition Dolls--released from about 1999 to about 2002--can have traits of both Mattel and Pre-Mattel dolls.

Features of Pre-Mattel Dolls

Faces are chubbier and many are slightly molded differently.
Less face paint on cheeks and lips.
Eyelashes are softer and match the doll's hair color closer.
"© Pleasant Co" imprint on the back of the neck. However, this can also be on the back of Mattel Dolls as the molds were not immediately switched; this is no guarantee, especially on dolls such as Kit and Kaya who were not available at PC/PM dolls.
Chubbier limbs. This can result in newer outfits not fitting arms and legs well.
Larger feet. PM dolls's feet may not fit into Mattel-sized shoes.
Softer body vinyl.
Chubbier overall body shape. Newer outfits are shaped for Mattel dolls and can fit very tightly on a Pre-Mattel doll. Some collectors have removed the internal stuffing to slim down a PM doll to fit outfits, though the limbs may still be too tight.
Green eyes are a less bright shade of green than in later Mattel dolls.
Do not have the tiny "x" or star hidden in arm and leg joints, similar to the artist's mark on some dolls.

Some dolls have significant differences specific to them. Some outfits released after Mattel's purchase fit poorly on Pre-Mattel dolls.

Pre-Mattel/Pleasant Company Dolls

Only six Historical Characters can be PM/PC dolls, as they were released prior to Mattel's full ownership by 2000:

Most Josefina dolls released are Mattel dolls as she was released just before the Mattel purchase.

No characters after Kit Kittredge, including Kit, were available as PC. The first twenty My American Girl dolls and Bitty Baby can also be PM/PC.

Girls of the Year, Bitty Twins, Best Friend Characters, and any lines released post-2000 cannot be PM/PC as the lines were not released until after Mattel purchased AG.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''[[Pre-Mattel]] dolls''' (or ''PM Dolls'') is a [[Fandom Terms|fandom term]] for dolls that were released before [[Mattel]] purchased American Girl. When Mattel purchased the company, they made several changes to the doll structure. Many outfits that have been made after Mattel's purchase may and often do fit poorly on Pre-Mattel dolls.
+'''[[Pre-Mattel]] Dolls''' (or ''PM Dolls'') is a [[Fandom Terms|fandom term]] for the dolls that were released and available before [[Mattel]] purchased American Girl. These are also called PC dolls, after ''Pleasant Company''; when Mattel purchased the company, they made several changes to the [[Basic Doll Anatomy|doll structure]].
 '''[[Transition Dolls]]'''--released from about 1999 to about 2002--can have traits of both Mattel and Pre-Mattel dolls.
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Features of Pre-Mattel Dolls==
-* Faces are chubbier and many are molded differently.
+* Faces are chubbier and many are slightly molded differently.
 * Less face paint on cheeks and lips.
 * Eyelashes are softer and match the doll's hair color closer.
-* "© Pleasant Co" imprint on the back of the neck; however, this can also be on the back of Mattel Dolls as the molds were not immediately switched.
+* "© Pleasant Co" imprint on the back of the neck. However, this can also be on the back of Mattel Dolls as the molds were not immediately switched; this is no guarantee, especially on dolls such as Kit and Kaya who were not available at PC/PM dolls.
 * Chubbier limbs. This can result in newer outfits not fitting arms and legs well.
-* Larger feet. PM dolls may not fit Mattel Shoes.
+* Larger feet. PM dolls's feet may not fit into Mattel-sized shoes.
 * Softer body vinyl.
-* Chubbier overall body shape. Newer outfits are shaped for Mattel dolls and can fit very tightly on a Pre-Mattel doll. Some collectors have removed the internal stuffing to slim down a PM doll to fit outfits.
+* Chubbier overall body shape. Newer outfits are shaped for Mattel dolls and can fit very tightly on a Pre-Mattel doll. Some collectors have removed the internal stuffing to slim down a PM doll to fit outfits, though the limbs may still be too tight.
 * Green eyes are a less bright shade of green than in later Mattel dolls.
 * Do not have the tiny "x" or star hidden in arm and leg joints, similar to the artist's mark on some dolls.
-Some dolls have significant differences specific to them.
+Some dolls have significant differences specific to them. Some outfits released after Mattel's purchase fit poorly on Pre-Mattel dolls.
-==Pre-Mattel Dolls==
+==Pre-Mattel/Pleasant Company Dolls==
-Only six [[Historical Characters]] can be PM dolls:
+Only six [[Historical Characters]] can be PM/PC dolls, as they were released prior to Mattel's full ownership by 2000:
 * [[Felicity Merriman (doll)|Felicity Merriman]]
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 * [[Molly McIntire (doll)|Molly McIntire]]
-Most Josefina dolls will be Mattel dolls as she was released just before the Mattel purchase. The first twenty [[My American Girl]] dolls and [[Bitty Baby]] can also be PM.
+Most Josefina dolls released are Mattel dolls as she was released just before the Mattel purchase.
+No characters after [[Kit Kittredge (doll)|Kit Kittredge]], including Kit, were available as PC. The first twenty [[My American Girl]] dolls and [[Bitty Baby]] can also be PM/PC.
+[[Girls of the Year]], [[Bitty Twins]], [[Best Friend Characters]], and any lines released post-2000 cannot be PM/PC as the lines were not released until after Mattel purchased AG.
-[[Girls of the Year]], [[Bitty Twins]] or [[Best Friend Characters]] cannot be PM as the lines were not released until after Mattel purchased AG.
 [[Category:Doll Anatomy]]
 [[Category:Fandom Terms]]