Petite Princess and the Sears Wish Book

I visited the Dallas Public Library and looked through old Sears Christmas catalogs on microfilm. They were a wonderful source of information. If was so much fun to view the images even though in black and white and very grainy!

Ideal's Petite Princess Fantasy Furniture appeared in the Sears Christmas Wish Book beginning in 1964. The fantasy room was available in pink, blue, and yellow for 77 cents apiece, piano $2.32, salon drum chair $1.33, heirloom table $1.33, hostess straight chairs $1.33, fantasia candelabra $1.99, salon curved sofa $2.33, occasional table set 77 cents, salon wing chair $1.64, tier table set $1.33, fantasy telephone set 99 cents, little princess royal bed $2.44, palace chest $1.64, lyre table set $1.33, royal dressing table $2.44, salon coffee table set 77 cents, occasional chair with ottoman $1.33, treasure trove cabinet $2.44, guest dining chairs $1.33, royal buffet $2.44, royal candelabra $1.64, dining room table $1.99, host dining chairs $1.33, family $2.44, rolling tea cart 99 cents, boudoir chaise lounge $1.64, hearthplace $1.64, salon planter 77 cents, guest chair $1.33, pedestal table set $1.33, grandfather clock and folding screen $1.64 and palace table set 77 cents. view image#1, view image #2, view image #3

The Petite Princess furniture returned in 1966 in a doll house "available only at Sears" in the Christmas Wish book for $9.99. Ideal or Petite Princess were not mentioned in the catalog. For $9.99, the 4-room vinyl, 21x8x18-inch, red roofed, colonial house contained 20 plastic pieces including the dresser and stool, bed, lyre table and lamp, piano and bench, treasure trove cabinet, guest chairs, occasional chair with ottoman, sofa, tier table and lamp, occasional table set. A separate family was sold by Sears (made in Hong Kong and not the fantasy family). view image

The red roofed colonial house returned again to the Sears Christmas Wish Book in 1967. The description and contents remained the same as did the price. Apparently, this was the year of a tie-in with the creator of the Dennis the Menace comic strip as an illustration featuring Dennis and Margaret appear on the same page with the two playing in front of what appears to be our doll house with the caption "... but where can I keep my bugs 'n frogs 'n stuff?' view image

In 1968, the Petite Princess furniture return in a new "Colonial Mansion Doll House" also advertised as available only at Sears in the Christmas Wish book for $9.97. Ideal or Petite Princess were no mentioned in the catalog. For $9.97, the 4-room vinyl, 22x20-inch orange roofed, colonial house contained 13 major pieces including the dresser and stool, bed, bathroom tub, stool and towel rack, tier table with lamp, host chairs, sofa, salon wing chair and occasional table set. A separate family was sold by Sears (made in Hong Kong and not the fantasy family). view image

In 1969, the Petite Princess furniture return in the same orange roofed, colonial mansion doll house in the Sears Christmas Wish Book for $9.99. The dimensions given change(?) from 1968 to 20x17-1/2 inches high when open. Furniture included in same as 1968. A separate family was sold by Sears (made in Hong Kong and not the fantasy family). view image

In 1970, the orange roofed colonial mansion doll house returns in the Sears Christmas Wish Book for $8.76. The dimensions given change (?) to 19-1/2 x 19-1/2 x 17-1/2 inches. The doll house is furnished, but the the petite princess furniture is replaced by plastic furniture sold in another doll house in the same catalog. view image