From Haunting Anomaly to Collector’s Treasure - The Unsettling Tale of a 1960s Doll
Little Miss No Name, a doll introduced by Hasbro in 1965, was designed to contrast the glamour of Barbie. Despite its initial failure, this eerie toy from the 1960s has re-emerged as a sought-after collector’s item, showcasing the unpredictable ebbs and flows of the toy market.
By Beth Snider · December 3, 2023
Once upon a time in the whimsical world of toys, Hasbro introduced an unconventional doll named Little Miss No Name in 1965. This eerie creation, inspired by the paintings of Margaret Keane and designed by Deet D’Andrade, was intended to be the antithesis of the glamorous Barbie, embodying a stark departure from the glitz and fashion. With its haunting features, Little Miss No Name quickly became a toy anomaly of the 1960s.
In stark contrast to the opulent lifestyle of Barbie, Little Miss No Name arrived on the scene with an impoverished appearance. She sported a burlap sack for a dress, lacked shoes, and had unkempt blonde hair. The doll’s most unsettling features were her large, expressive brown eyes, a downturned mouth, and a plastic teardrop that could be inserted into a hole under one eye. To further emphasize her destitution, her outstretched hand conveyed a desperate plea as if she were begging for love and care.
The marketing strategy behind Little Miss No Name was unconventional, to say the least. Advertisements from the 1960s showcased the doll with a price tag ranging from $4 to $8. The promotional material highlighted what the doll lacked rather than its attributes: “She doesn’t have a pretty dress. She doesn’t have any shoes. She doesn’t even have a home. All she has is love.”
The packaging of Little Miss No Name featured a poignant message: “I need someone to love me. I want to learn to play. Please take me home with you and brush my tear away.” This emotional appeal was coupled with an image of the doll standing in a cold, slushy snowstorm, reinforcing the narrative of her bleak existence.
Unsurprisingly, Little Miss No Name failed to capture the hearts of children during its brief production run. Parents and kids alike found the doll’s appearance and marketing approach disturbing. Consequently, Hasbro swiftly withdrew the doll from production, making it a short-lived experiment in the toy industry.
Fast forward to the present day, and Little Miss No Name has found an unexpected resurgence as a collector’s item. Resale sites like eBay now feature the doll fetching prices in the hundreds of dollars, particularly if she is in mint condition or comes with her removable tear—an accessory prone to being lost over the decades.
Little Miss No Name’s journey from a haunting relic of the 1960s to a coveted collector’s item illustrates the unpredictable nature of nostalgia and the peculiar twists of the toy market. Whether she induces shivers or fascination, Little Miss No Name stands as a monument to the curious corners of toy history, where the unconventional and the eerie sometimes find unexpected appreciation.