Today I have four more Sindy’s to show you. These girls all have relatively tidy hair so I wasn’t going to mess with them too much. However, when I undressed them to look at their markings I naturally decided that they could use a clean after all.

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Two of these Sindy’s are very similar. Both have the same colour hair and both are marked “Made in Hong Kong” on their lower back, no head markings. Both have rock hard heads, arms and legs that don’t bend. One seems to have shorter arms than the other or perhaps they are just a little more bent. Her head is a lot more wobbly too. This particular Sindy is probably the official beginning of my Sindy collecting. I actually bought her here in Tasmania when David and I were on our first trip here in the late 90s. We were driving up the Midland Highway from Hobart to the north on a Sunday and we saw a little hall and a sign that said “Market”. Of course we stopped. I can’t remember where it was now but a tiny hall in a tiny place, maybe Epping Forest. Anyway, while we were browsing I came across a lady selling a Sindy. She was a bit of a mess, her arms were covered in white paint which the lady explained was done by her granddaughter who painted on “gloves”. Her legs were also badly stained yellow, probably nicotine stains, luckily she didn’t smell. However she had a beautiful head of hair, much fuller and thicker than my Sindy and her face paint was perfect. “How much?” I asked “Four dollars.” I was told, so of course I bought her and that’s how it all began. I did manage to get most of the paint off her arms but as I really didn’t know what to do about the stains on her legs she has always worn “Weekenders” to hide it. I read that hydrogen peroxide and ammonia would take stains like these off so I tried it but to be honest I could see no difference. Perhaps I did something wrong.

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One Sindy is wearing Frosty Nights/ Cosy Nights, red flannel PJ’s from 1965 and matching dressing gown from 1966. The other one is wearing Weekenders and one of my favourite pieces of Sindy clothing, the Duffle Coat 1963. These were so popular when I was a child. I never had one but two of my cousins did. I love how well made it is, you even have to use the little buttons to do it up. Obviously toy manufacturers then thought that children would learn to do up these tiny things, or that mum would be around to help them. Apparently there were a few variations of this coat. Mine is the Hong Kong made version.

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Blonde Sindy, who is wearing Emergency Ward (1965) is an older Sindy, marked “Made in England” on the back of her neck. Her torso has yellowed like the MIE Sindy I showed you last time. She has a soft squishy head and arms and solid, hard legs that don’t bend. I’m guessing she is a 1963 Sindy. She even still had her red hairband in her hair. I’m thinking of giving it to one of the “Weekenders” dolls though she may need to keep her hair tidy until I find the nurses cap. I had “Emergency Ward” as a child but I didn’t really enjoy playing doctors and nurses that much. This outfit has so many little bits and pieces to it that are easily lost but luckily I’ve managed to collect most of them for this one. I’ve never been sure about how they should go on though. I have always put the fasteners for the collar and belt at the back but I’ve seen photos where they are worn in the front too. Does anyone know which is correct? Not that it really matters. I like it the way I do it but here it is done the other way. I don’t think the collar sits as well this way round but it doesn’t look so bad.

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Finally, we have my original Sindy, given to me when I was eight in May 1965. She too has “Made in England” on the back of her neck, and a soft, squishy head. Her arms and legs are also hard and don’t bend. Sindy has a lot of “product” keeping her hair tidy and I don’t want to wash it out as I don’t have any more hairspray at present. It’s not something I use myself. Her outfit is “Country Walk” 1965 another long time favourite of mine. There are two versions of the tweed skirt but although this is said to be the later one it is the only one I remember from childhood.

This is not quite the final post of this series. There are several Paul’s to be photographed as well but that will probably happen next week. I will also have a new Sindy to share with you as Naomi is coming up this weekend and bringing the Sindy that she bought for me from her friend in Oatlands. I’ve also got a few other Sindy outfits that I haven’t photographed for several years and of course new Kid Kreations Sindy who is now on her way here from China and will supposedly be here in the next week or so.