Recently I read a post on a Facebook doll site from Val who wants to find out more about her old Estrela doll. I asked her if I could feature the doll here and happily she agreed.
Here is what Val knows about her doll.
- Age: Val has had the doll for at least 25 years but she was not new when Val got her.
- Size: approx 85 cm so she is a big girl
- Eyes: blue sleep eyes and rooted eyelashes.
- Hair: Nylon, Saran, rooted.
- Clothing : Looks like she has her original shoes. The dress is what she was wearing when Val got her.
- Other Features: She has a mama box
- Markings: Estrela S/A. IND. Bras. VR90
Val says she is quite a heavy doll.
I have been doing a bit of reading and to me she resembles the Patti Playpal dolls. Estrela did make these under licence from Ideal so it’s possible.
What do the other Doll Detectives out there think?
Thanks Val for sharing this very pretty doll.
Dolls, Dolls, Dolls 
Estrela is a well known Brazilian doll company, for some years [1970s?/1980s?] they made Barbies under license to Mattel. The Barbies are regarded as being very special because of their wild hair colour and clothing. Estrela dolls are regarded as being high quality, as I would say this doll is, even though she is not an out there characterisation
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Yes I had read that and although I don’t have any Estrela Barbie’s myself I’ve seen pictures of them. Estrela certainly do make good quality dolls.
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This is the Brazilian answer to Patti Playpal. She is highly sought after by Patti Collectors. They are still being made. I believe your friend has a vintage high quality Brailian Patti called an Amiguinha. She can check out Pinterest for more information. She can also join our Playpal group on facebook: Patti Playpal and Friends Collectors Group
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Thank you Marla for your information. I will pass it along to her in case she does not read your comment.
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She is definitely a Patti Playpal. They were so popular that Ideal licensed them to Brazil, so they were legitimately made. Brazil made them from the 50s through the 80s, then a lapse, then brought them back for a final year in 1996. This one looks like possibly a 60s or 70s doll. I haven’t examined them in each year but I have an original Neil Estern Brazilian doll ’59/’60 and she is clearly more vintage looking than this one, although yours is not a late model. I’d place her somewhere in 70s, late 60s at the earliest and not as late as the 80s. These are very collectable and hard to find in the U.S. The cost of importing them from Brazil is very high and was when I bought mine almost 20 years ago.
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Thanks Suzanne for the information.
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I also have a mystery Estrela doll would love any help or advice in trying to identify her. She has Estrela on back of the neck no number or any other markings a metal voice vent on her back 3ft tall patti style doll.
Belonged to my daughter as a child around 20 years ago possibly secondhand bootsale purchase.
Any help muchly appreciated.
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There seem to be a lot of these Patti clones by different makers. Estrela did make some very nice dolls.
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