"Littlest Angel" dolls were made by Vogue during the 1970's. They came in 11 and 15 inch sizes. The 11 inch doll pictured above is marked "Vogue Doll - copyright 1964" on her head. Her body is unmarked.
This doll is in her original yellow overall outfit with her hair in braids. Her shoes have been replaced. I consulted a Vogue doll reference book and confirmed that her description matches one of the dolls produced for the 1972 series. This makes sense since I received this doll in 1972.
This is another "Littlest Angel" doll from the 1972 series. She has blond long hair and is dressed in a faux fur top with red velveteen hat and pants. Her shoes have also been replaced.
I received both these "Littlest Angel" dolls in June 1972 after having surgery to remove my tonsils. Above is a picture of me and my brother Marc taken in July 1972. Although I was only 6 years old, I remember the whole hospital experience very well. I don't think they were as concerned about a child's reaction to the hospital as much as they are today. Basically, my Mom and Dad dropped me off in the morning. I said goodbye and they brought me into a room with a bunch of other children who were also getting their tonsils removed. Since this operation was very common back then, they just must have herded the kids in and out. They gave us a little speech about what they were going to do, with a main emphasis on the "ice cream" reward after the surgery.
I don't remember much after that until I was being wheeled into surgery later in the day. I do remember for quite awhile I was left in my bed in the hallway. No Mom and Dad around to assure me that everything would be o.k. I think they basically went home and called later to check on my status. Can you believe it? I would compare it today to dropping off your cat at the vet! I don't think this was their fault. It was just the way things were done back then.
I remember seeing the doctor just before I went unconscious. He had one of those big round mirror things strapped around his head. You know, like you see in those really old medical show re-runs on TV.
Anyway, after that I remember waking up in a recovery room and being unable to speak. Finally someone noticed me. I think they could tell I was asking for my Mom and Dad. They kindly assured me they would pick me up tomorrow morning. (Oh yeah, like that time would come pretty soon!) I remember my bed was near a window. I looked out the window and cried all the while thinking I would never see my parents again!
I was brought back into my room. During the night I remember waking up and spitting up some blood from my mouth. Obviously, no one was there to witness this traumatic experience. I remember trying to shout out "Help me!", but of course I had no voice.
Finally a nurse shows up and notices my problem. She was very nice and stayed up with me all night, telling me stories about her daughter who I think she said was named Louise, until I finally fell asleep.
Well, when I woke up the next day, I felt a bit better and was looking for my ice cream reward. As if I had not been traumatized enough, they tell me I can't have any due to the bleeding I had the night before, but everyone else could! I felt like I had did something wrong and was being punished! Can you believe this?
Well after everyone but me had their ice cream, I was moved to a wheelchair and brought into another room that had a whole bunch of children in beds. They were not just tonsil patients. I remember seeing legs and arms in casts and eyes with patches. There was a TV in there and since it was kind of depressing to look at all these sick kids, I just started watching television. I think the Lucy Show was on. (Not "I Love Lucy", but the second series she was in.)
Next thing I know, my Mom and Dad FINALLY show up! My Mom told me recently that I looked all tiny and forlorn sitting there in my wheelchair that I scared her and I didn't even notice that they had come in. Umm....like this was my fault?
Well I felt much better when they presented me with the doll with the braids and yellow overalls. My Mom said they had spent alot of time in Jordan Marsh (local department store which was later bought out by Macy's) picking out a doll that looked just like me. Oh...so that's where they had been all this time! Well, o.k. then.
I remember my mother specifically saying to me several times over and over that this was not an ordinary doll, but a "collector" doll. O.K. I did not know what that meant, but I kind of guessed I had to be more careful and not play with her that much. But you don't give a six year old a doll with braids and expect them to stay in tact, do you? For the next two days all I could think about was taking out those braids. Eventually my Mom gave in and let me take them out. So much for keeping her in mint condition.
I received the other blond doll later that day from my Uncle Bob. He had picked it out himself in Jordan Marsh since my aunt Nina had been in the hospital giving birth to my cousin Lori at the same time I was in the hospital. Here is a picture me with my cousin Lori on her Christening day. My Aunt Lina who is also in the picture was pregnant with my cousin Jennifer at the time and she was Lori's godmother.
I remember when they brought my cousin Lori home from the hospital. She was sleeping in a little portable crib in my grandmother's house. I snuck in the room to stare at her. I remember thinking that I hoped someday I would have a little baby girl like her. Well, years later I did end up having two little girls of my own.
In November 2000, I found my two "Littlest Angel" dolls tucked away in my garage. I do not have a picture to prove this, but needless to say, they were in a pretty sorry state. However, by the next day, I had rejuvinated them, so they now appear almost in their original state. If you notice in the photos, I did have to stitch up a small hole in the yellow overalls near one of the black felt buttons. Other than that, they cleaned up quite nicely, so they must have been very good quality dolls. Today they are on display in my daughter Ashley's room. Amazingly, she has not asked if she could take out her braids. Guess she has more control then me!