About Chatty Cathy
What is my Chatty worth?
I am often asked this question, so here is a basic guideline for the value of
your Chatty.
Things that reduce, or devalue your
Chatty Cathy:
1. Missing hair plugs. The more, the
worse! Most professional collectors will not spend much money on a Chatty with this
problem.
2. Melted or Broken neck flange. These
dolls are mainly used to part out.
3. No eyelashes. If you have a gorgeous
Canadian, but her eyelashes are gone, don't expect to receive more than half of her normal
value.
4. Being blonde. Blonde is the least sought
after hair color for a Chatty. Auburn is the most desired with Brunette being
second.
5. Being a #1 or #2 Chatty. These are the most
common Chatty's and they sell for the lowest amounts.
Things that may not affect the price
much:
1. Stains: These may be able to be
removed.
2. A shabby looking Chatty: Some people
prefer her 'au natural.'
3. A broken or missing limb: There are
several available in matching colors and tones.
The body types:
Chatty Cathy was created by ©Mattel in 1959. The first
body created for her was called the "prototype, " and consisted of a cloth
material covering the speaker in her tummy. She had no markings on her back.
 
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Body Number 1 and 2: In 1960 she was released. She must have been a hit, because 4
bodies of the original Chatty's were created after the prototype.
The 1, also know as the Prototype Chatty was produced in
1959. She has blond or brunette pageboy, or bob hair, and a cloth covered speaker. There
are no markings on her back, and her limbs are a tan color and a little thicker than the
other dolls. Chatty had a soft face and said 11 different phrases.
The #2 Chatty was produced in 1960. She has blond or brunette
hair in the pageboy or bob style, blue or brown decal eyes and a cloth covered speaker.
She has a Mattel Patent pending mark on her back. Chatty had
a soft face and said 11 different phrases.
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Body Number 3: # 3 Chatty was produced in 1961. She has blond or brown hair, page,
bob, and an occasional pigtail that slipped in there, and had a hex shaped speaker with a
cut out circle around it. It looked as if the cloth cover of the other two had been
removed leaving the open speaker. Chatty had a hard or soft face and said 11 different
phrases.
In 1962 Chatty Cathy changed to allow more options. You could
now buy her with the hard, or soft face, but it was smaller than before. She also
offered the usual Blonde or Brunette, and now she had NEW Auburn hair. Both hard and
soft heads came with Piggy Tails! |
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Body Number 4: # 4 Chatty was produced in 1962. She came with blond, brunette or
auburn hair, bob, page or pigtail style, and a hex speaker. This is also known as the
transitional chatty whose limbs tend to turn white with age. Chatty had a hard or soft
face and some said 11 phrases while others said 18. Then speaker box inside Chatty is red.
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Body Number 5: # 5 and final production of the chatty we all love, was produced in 1963.
She came with blond, brunette, or auburn hair, in the page, bob or pigtail style.
She has a hex speaker with holes underneath. Chatty had a hard or soft face, and said 18
different phrases.
These are the standards.... you will find variations out there. No one knows if the
variations are factory or someone mixing heads with bodies. Mattel was notorious for
using up old stock on their new productions which is why you will see white limbs on #3's,
4's and 5's, red speaker boxes inside # 5's, and pigtail's on # 3's. |
Chatty's eyes:
Three eye types were made for Chatty: Decal, Glassine and
Pinwheel. My favorite is the pinwheel, it has the most depth I have ever seen!
Some people prefer the decal because it looks more realistic.
Rare Chatty's
SOME Canadian Chatty's, SOME Soft Faced American
Piggy's, Brown eyed/Blonde Chatty's, African American Chatty's.
If you have any more info that we
could add, please email us: info@chatty-cathy.net
- Proud member of the Chatty
Cathy Group©