Dating 1975-1985 Sindy Dolls

1975 to 1985 saw Sindy's most popular years. The facial type introduced in 1975 was used until 1985, although some slight differences in manufacturing (eg. differences in the width of the mold, or the color of the plastic) resulted in facial variation. However, the only consistent facial change over the years lay in the color of Sindy's face paint. In addition, the very popular 'Active' body type was redesigned several times, primarily to fix design flaws which tended to result in broken dolls (the 'Basic' body type is not discussed). These differences in face paint and body type can be used to date Active body dolls from this era.
Head Markings

Markings on the back of Sindy's head provide the best clues to the age of the doll:

1974 to 1976: "033050X" in small print.
1977 to 1980: "2 GEN 1077" on raised rectangle, "033055X" beneath that.

1981 and 1982: "033055X"
1983 to 1985: Sindy logo on raised rectangle, "033055X" beneath that.
Faces

Dolls from the late 70s and early 80s tended to have paler face paint, and paler lips in particular, than the mid-70s and mid-80s dolls. The mid-80s dolls tended to have a wider apple-cheeked face. The 1975-1976 heads were made from a very hard plastic, whereas the later heads were much softer and more malleable.
Hands
1975-1977 Sindys had ball-bearing wrist joints. The hand terminated in a spherical hollow which snapped onto a sphere attached to the end of the arm. The wrist rotated on the sphere. This style of joint was rather fragile and the hand tended to snap off, especially if the wrist were bent at a 90 degree angle. Often, in snapping off, the lip of the hand would crack, making it impossible to reattach the hand without glue and thus without immobilizing the joint. Very little effort was required to break this kind of joint.

 In 1978 Sindy's wrist joint was redesigned. The new hand was hinged, and terminated in a long plug which was rooted in the arm. The hand and plug could swivel within the arm, and the hinge could bend to a 90 degree angle. The hand could with some force be pulled from the arm, and then reinserted into it. This design was very sturdy and rarely broke in the course of normal play.
Shoulders
1975 and 1976 Sindys had metal rivets in their shoulders. The shoulder joint protruded from the torso, holding the arm slightly away from the body. The rubber bands connecting the arms to the torso were exposed in this design, making them less resistant to wear and more liable to snap. 1977-1985 Sindys did not have the metal rivet, and their arms were set closer in to the torso. This design offered greater protection to the rubber bands inside Sindy's shoulders and was therefore more durable.
Waist
The 1975-76 Sindy had two waist joints, there being a half-spherical dish fitting between the torso and pelvis. Wear on the disk tended to loosen the joint over time, making it difficult to stand the doll upright. In 1977 the waist joint was redesigned, and the torso was connected directly to the pelvis. This style of joint allowed less freedom of movement, but was sturdier.
A Note about Melt Marks

Many dolls may be found with melt marks, typically at the shoulders and hips. These marks are caused by a chemical reaction between Sindy's hard plastic torso and her soft vinyl arms and legs. Acetone slowly leaches from the vinyl and melts the hard plastic. If vinyl and hard plastic are left in contact for a long time (typically years) melted areas will develop where the two materials touch. These marks are not a result of abuse -- dolls which have never been removed from their original packaging can carry these marks.

This is not a problem confined to Sindy. Many dolls and other toys also suffer from melt marks. If the marks are not too large, they can be removed or minimized with polishing. Severe melting which prevents the joints from moving can be gently pried apart and the melted area cut off with nail scissors.

Never use nail polish remover to clean a Sindy doll. The acetone in polish remover can cause considerable damage as it reacts with the doll's body. Even if washed off immediately after use, small amounts of acetone can remain, causing damaging chemical reactions for many years.

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