How to Purchase a Mrs. Beasley Doll

You grew up watching the TV show "Family Affair" and fell in love with daughter Buffy's sweet grandmother doll, Mrs. Beasley. Perhaps you had your own Mrs. Beasley doll and lost her. Now you want to purchase an original Mrs. Beasley doll. You can still find one in mint condition with a little research.

Instructions

1. Learn to recognize a mint-condition original Mrs. Beasley doll. Several versions were released by Mattel in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The original 1966 version comes closest to the doll Buffy' carried on the TV show. The doll is packaged in a pink display box, sealed with plastic wrapping. The front of the box has a window that displays the doll and features a color print banner across the bottom. The banner shows Buffy smiling as she holds Mrs. Beasley close and listens to her friend.Mrs. Beasley is a 21" talking doll with short blond hair that curls around her face. She wears blue-and-white polka-dot pants with a matching apron and bib collar, yellow shoes and black square-rimmed glasses. A 22" pull-string activates her voice. She says the following 10 phrases:"Do you want to hear a secret? I know one." "Gracious me, you're getting to be such a big girl!""I do think you're the nicest little friend I ever had.""It would be such fun to play jump rope, don't you think?""If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?""If you were a little smaller, I could rock you to sleep.""Long ago I was a little girl just like you!""Speak a little louder, dear, so Mrs. Beasley can hear you.""Would you like to try on my glasses? You may if you wish.""You may call me Mrs. Beasley. Would you like to play?"Mattel produced a 14" non-talking rag doll of Mrs. Beasley. This doll has removable clothes. The company also released a 10" talking Buffy doll with a 4" Mrs. Beasley and a 6" non-talking, poseable Buffy doll with a 3" Mrs. Beasley.A mint condition doll is in the same state as a new doll on a store shelf. She must be clean with no dirt, scratches or scuff marks. All original clothing and accessories should be present and free of holes. Many mint condition dolls have never been removed from the original box. A mint condition Mrs. Beasley doll has a clean face and outfit. She still has her apron, bib collar, glasses and pull-string. She speaks 10 phrases clearly. She looks as good as any new doll.

2. Decide if you want to buy a Mrs. Beasley doll that needs repair. It may be easier to find a Mrs. Beasley doll in good or fair condition than a mint doll. Many vintage toys suffered rough play before they were stored away. Not every person who stored a Mrs. Beasley doll carefully wrapped her and placed her in a dry, dust-free environment. Even a minor flaw like tangled hair or a small hole can make a difference in condition and price. You can save money if you are willing to make repairs. Collectors who enjoy doll restoration have more options for purchasing an original Mrs. Beasley.

3. Consider a "reborn" Mrs. Beasley doll. Reborn is a term that refers to restored dolls. Doll restorers often fix up dolls by replacing hair, repainting them or providing new clothing. These restored dolls are then reborn as new. A reborn Mrs. Beasley should cost considerably less than a mint original.

4. Determine how much you want to spend on an original Mrs. Beasley doll. You may have to spend between $100 and $500 for an original mint Mrs. Beasley. You can purchase an excellent or good-condition doll for around $50 or $60.

5. Search doll-specialty and vintage-toy shops. Call ahead and ask if the store carries a Mrs. Beasley that meets your requirements for condition and price.

6. Auction sites like eBa often have original Mrs. Beasley dolls for sale. Research bidding and business histories before you make a purchase. Vintage Mrs. Beasley prices can vary greatly online.

7. You can sometimes find a vintage toy Mrs. Beasley doll at a flea market, garage sale or thrift store whose proprietor does not realize the toy's value as a collectible. These dolls often need repair. However, every once in a while, you may find a quality Mrs. Beasley secondhand.

8. If you cannot find an original Mrs. Beasley doll, consider purchasing a reproduction. Ashton-Drake Galleries has produced a 20" Mrs. Beasley doll that speaks 11 phrases. Cheryl Ladd provided the doll's voice. Ashton-Drake's version looks like the original Mattel doll. Back to Basics Toys also has a 20" Mrs. Beasley with a straight bob hairstyle who speaks 11 phrases. A portion of the sales of both dolls benefits the Childhelp USA charity.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your Mrs. Beasley in a dry, dust-free place. Consider placing her in a display case. Your Mrs. Beasley doll can last a lifetime with gentle care and proper storage.

• Ask an online seller how the doll has been stored. Buy dolls that have been carefully stored in dry, smoke-free environments.

• Never pay top dollar for a doll that is in poor condition. If you purchased a doll online believing it to be in better condition than it showed up in, demand a refund. Make sure the doll does not smell musty or have mildew stains. Mildew stains and odors are hard to remove.