Tressy dolls by bella

Tressy, Marilyn, Snouky and Cathie

Société Bella of France

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Tressy was made and sold in France by Société Bella under license from American Character Toy Company. They were produced in Perpignan and the first dolls produced had the same markings on the back of their necks as the American Character dolls but with slightly lighter face paint. They were first sold by Bella under license for Christmas 1965. In 1966 Bella bought the license from American Character and from then on produced many different dolls using their own molds. Hundreds of different outfits were produced over the following 20 years.

First Bella Tressy

The first Tressy dolls made under the AC license in 1965 have the American Character head and marking on the back of their necks. They are 31cms tall and have side glancing blue and green eyes, straight legs and growing hair. The hair colours we have seen in white, platinum (silver), blonde, ash, brown and black. They were sold in the same red and white dress, panties, shoes and belt as the American Character ones. They come in a box that is open at the bottom and the stand serves as the base for the box.

Second Bella Tressy

The second Tressy in 1967 has bend legs similar to the second version American Character legs but the Bella bend legs unlike the American Character ones are very fragile. The hair mechanism was also changed from the American Character mechanism to Bella's, this mechanism did not have the separate ring to hold the back in place but had a solid round back piece with a slot in for the key, She was sold in a shoe box style box. The outfits she came in were the same design of dress but in various different colours and designs of fabric, white panties and white shoes and the stands for the second version have a slot to hold her key.

Bella Tressy without the growing hair mechanism

Tressy was also made in 1967 without the growing hair and with bend legs but still with the American Character face and markings. She does not have a tummy button but if you look carefully you can see a circle marked on her tummy where the button would have been had she had the grow hair strand. Sorry but I do not know what her original outfit was, this is a replacement Bella dress that she is wearing, but it would have been this style of dress that she was sold in.

31-07 Bella Tressy

The next Tressy dolls made by Bella were made in 1976 and had Bella 31-07 on the back of their necks. The Tressy dolls from 1976 have a bigger head, front facing big brown eyes with 4 eyelashes, a larger mouth, growing hair and bend legs.

31-07 Bella Tressy Blue eyes The next Tressy dolls from 1977 have side glancing blue / green eyes, a curled bottom lip, grow hair and bend legs and are still marked 31-07	Copyright© Michael and Linda Clark

31-12 Bella Tressy

Tressy 31-12 was made by Bella in 1977. She has grow hair and has a very soft looking face with black centered eyes and marked Bella 3112 on her neck. Another doll with black centered eyes and using once again the America Character mold but with complete new make up was also made this year and also made with the American character mold but with blue side glancing eyes without eyelashes and no grow hair system.

31-14 Bella Tressy

This Tressy was made by Bella from 1979 onwards, she has front facing blue eyes, with four eyelashes, Brown eyeliner to both top and bottom, she has a small mouth, grow hair and and bend legs. She in marked Bella 31-14 on the back of her neck. The doll pictured here is from 1981.

Bouclette

Bouclette was made in 1983 from the same mould as the 31-14 Tressy but without the growing hair. She is 31cms tall and has long straight hair with a centre parting, front facing blue eyes and Four eyelashes. Bouclette has her own range of outfits that we think come to eleven in total. The outfit she is wearing is Tailleur sage #6.0.019

First version Snouky

Snouky the little sister of Tressy was made from 1965 until 1969 she is 24cms tall. The first one from 1965 has straight legs, growing hair, soft arms and shaped feet and she has the same head as Bellita.. The straight leg version of Snouky came in a box that was open at the bottom so that the stand could serve as the base of the box. The arms on Snouky are very fragile at the shoulder joint and can break very easily if pulled or twisted. She also has very delicate fingers.

The outfit she is wearing is Rentrée des classes #14150

second version Snouky

The second version of Snouky the little sister of Tressy was made from 1967 until 1969 she is 24cms tall and has bend legs that hold a pose. She has the growing hair, soft arms, shaped feet and she also has the same head as Bellita. The bend leg version came in a shoe box style of box. The arms on Snouky are very fragile at the shoulder joint and can break very easily if pulled or twisted. She also has very delicate fingers. She is wearing her original outfit.

Snouky with long rooted hair

curio item

Beautiful little Snouky with long straight hair and very short Tressy type arms. We have been told that one of the directors of Bella has stated that this doll was never made by Bella but was put together by the work men who were clearing the factory out, or by workers who were employed at the Bella factory, all though we do know that the lady who has had this doll from new never worked at, or knew anyone who worked at or cleared the Bella factory. So we think only time will tell on this one, as far as we are aware there are 3 more in existence. if you have any information on her or have one of these dolls please contact us.

The outfit she is wearing is Joyeux Anniversaire #14203

Bellita

Bellita is a doll who was specially made for department stores. She was sold cheaper because she has no growing hair. She has straight legs that do not bend and is 30cms tall. She has the same face as Snouky who was also made in 1965. She comes with three different styles of hair. The short curly style as we have pictured here. One with shoulder length hair and also one with long hair and a fringe. She was also sold as Ariane in Monoprix stores. Bellitas were not made with growing hair. She was sold with her own metal stand not shown here and comes in a shoe box style of box.

Tressy Cils

Between the year 1968 to 1969 a special version of Tressy with real eyelashes was produced for the French market she is called Tressy~Cils. She is 30cms tall and has right side glancing eyes and grow hair. She has very fragile bend legs that will break very easily. She was sold in a shoe box style of box.

Copyright© Michael and Linda Clark	Marilyn Marilyn was made in 1967 to 1969 she was made in two versions the first version has rooted hair and straight legs, this is the one shown here. The second version has bend legs and a growing hair strand.. Her face is a long oval shape different to the Tressy face and has a special coating to allow the application and easy removal of her special make-up. She is 31cms tall and is marked on the back of her neck " Bella made in France" Both dolls were from the Tressy body mold. Marilyn was sold in gift sets with her make up.
Nancy( Caucasian) Nancy ( Caucasian ) was made is 1966 from the same body mould as Tressy. This white version of Nancy, had side glancing eyes, short blonde hair and was made from the same head mould as the Afro American Nancy doll. She is 31cms tall has large mouth and straight none bending legs. Nancy ( afro American ) The Afro American Nancy was also made from the Tressy body mold but dyed brown, had short black hair and front facing eyes.	Copyright © Alain and Françoise HAUTIER

Copyright© Michael and Linda Clark	Cathie Cathie was made from 1967 until1982 lots of different variations of Cathie were made and you can view our Cathie information page from this link. Cathie Information page
Jerry Jerry was made from 1972 until1975. The first version in 1972 had short molded painted hair, bend legs and is 49cms high. this doll is not marked on the back of the neck. The second version shown here in his skiing outfit is from 1974 and has rooted hair in blonde or chestnut that is parted on the left. He has painted features he is 49cms high and is marked 44-08 Bella on the back of his neck. The third version is from 1975 . He has longer rooted hair in blonde or black and a parting on the left. He has sleep eyes, he is 49cms high and is marked 44-10 Bella on the back of his neck..	Copyright© Michael and Linda Clark

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Any information or pictures contained on this page remains the sole property of Linda and Michael Clark and Hilmar Bonda and may not be used or copied in any part or form without their written permission.

Tressy® is a registered trademark of the American Character Doll co.