Jumbo Soviet Cosmonaut Baby-doll 1961

[Tinplate6]

I was very fortunate to acquire one of these jumbo cosmonaut dolls; they are highly sought after by collectors and tough to get outside of Russia.

 

 

The doll is 17 inches tall (including the ridiculously long antenna, which is always missing, mine is a replacement). This is an old stock photo of a row of them in a Soviet-era department store.

 

 

There were two different versions that I know of; the black helmet, and the red one. I'm referring to the color of the lining inside the helmet, framing the face; I personally like the red one, but I'm happy with what I've got.

 

 

 

The arms and legs are moveable, and attached by a long single elastic cord, connected to the limbs by metal hooks. The face is decidedly feminine, and I assume it is supposed to represent the first woman in space; Valentina Tereshkova.

 

 

 

The material is a dense peach-colored hollow plastic, that is always lighter in the front, around the chest; my guess is that the examples I've seen were sun-struck from standing in the glass store windows.  There was also at least one smaller version of this figure as well, although I don't know the size, but it was static, without movable limbs.

 

 

 

If anyone can translate these pages in the space toy book, I'd love to know more about it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alessandro]

Nice piece.

Are the soviet toys the new collecting frontier? 

[Tinplate6]

Alessandro, that's how I'm looking at it, and I want to get in on "the ground floor", so to speak, before all the other collectors catch on.

 

[Brian..]

Something of an acquired taste, Brady. I regret I can't read the Russian script clearly enough, but I can see that it's called the Cosmonaut and is made in Moscow.

[Alessandro]

Good idea. Unfortunately there are very few ray guns... :-(

[Tinplate6]

Good idea. Unfortunately there are very few ray guns... :-(

...that we know of, Alessandro...the we know of.  

 

Brian, it fascinates me as these are tied to such a specific period in history when the US and Soviet Russia were locked in a race for supremacy in space. However, aside from that, I think that Russian toys, as a whole, exude a certain charm, perhaps, it is just that they offer a look inside of a culture that few have ever experienced.

[Brian..]

I found this snippet on the wibbly:

The Soviet "Cosmonaut" toys first appeared  in 1959. In 1961, this toy was released in Moscow by the factory "Art Toy" unprecedented for that time, with a production run of 1 million. 
Leningrad produced an incredibly popular toy astronaut, made by the "Red Triangle" factory, the author of which was Galina Sokolova Modestovna.

 

I believe that if you open this cosmonaut up, you'll find a smaller one inside.

[ervino]

Speaking of Russian/Soviet/Cold War Era toys, a couple of months ago I added these two games to my SF BG collection: the first one ("Luna Luna" - 1966) is from the DDR, the second ("In the Cosmos" - 1973) from the USSR...

[Alessandro]

...that we know of, Alessandro...the we know of.  

 

 I think that Russian toys, as a whole, exude a certain charm, perhaps, it is just that they offer a look inside of a culture that few have ever experienced.

 

Russian toys always have a touch of poetry. 

[ervino]

Speaking of the USA/USSR Space Race competition. A 1953 "TM" Russian magazine cover art vs the "2001: ASO" iconic poster art: who, this time, copied who? 

E.

    

[SigmundJaehn]

I found this rare Soviet cosmonaut doll while cleaning out my grandmother's old attic. The doll is in great condition. All the parts can still be moved.

My father used to play with it in GDR times.

 

You can find pictures in the "Sale Topic" here in the forum.

 

If you are interested, have further questions or pictures, please write to me.

 

Shipping would be from Germany.