Due to a strange twist of fate, I own one of the very last PM dolls and one of the very first batch of Mattel. I know this because they ran out of their old stock of Felicity even in the stores for a few weeks, during which time we requested a return for our PM Felicity which I'd purchased a month or so earlier. Our M Felicity was sent as a replacement as soon as they got her back in stock. This happened in December 2002 (PM Felicity) and January 2003 (M Felicity). The reason I still own both is a whole topic of it's own.

Years after Mattel bought AG they were still shipping out PM stock and perhaps still are on some items. I believe this is one reason Felicity was retired - it took forever to sell off her backstock.

Our two dolls are very different. First, the basic difference between all PM and M dolls is hair and lashes:

PM dolls have self colored eyelashes. I think that is the most reliable measure of PM vs M because they don't often get replaced. . Their lashes are also softer. The M wig is shinier and often longer ( later Samanthas have longer hair) It tangles and frizzes less.

My dolls also have very different dresses. They tried to redesign the fabric on the M dresses and did a terrible job of it. The print is big and sloppy. The stitching is also very poor on our M doll and isn't even done so the bodice ruffle lies properly, and the sleeve ruffles are twisted too. Then there is her vinyl - awful. If I had not recieved this doll from the company myself I would swear up and down that it is a forgery and a bad one at that. It is that poorly made. A friend's child got her own Felicity the same season at AGPNY and it is just like our M one.

I was recently told that the dolls are made in so many factories they can't keep up with consistancy. I got this from the head of CS! So, YDMV ( your doll may vary).

The wigs have really different textures, and our Mattel one has brighter red hair. The darkest of all the reds are PM. Should I repeat that? Okay: The darkest of all the red wigs are those made by PM in their later phase. Our PM is not as bright red as our Mattel, though both are browner than early Felicity's.

Our Mattel also has different vinyl. It is dense and has almost no coloring. It looks grey - no depth or life like quality. I feel sure this has been improved, as has the dress, probably. I have not seen a recent Felicity, but our two prettiest complexions are on Mattel versions -- Molly and Josefina Molly is also squishier than any berfore her ( she is from Christmas 2004). A friend pointed this out to me last summer - that her new Molly was squishy.

It is concievable that there are hybrid AG's out there. That happens when a company changes over. I collect Schoenhut and when that factory went bankrupt they started shipping out all kinds of mixed products - especially their circus animal line. I htink it is less likely this happened at AG, because they changed factories, but they must have had some overstock of eyeballs lashes or arms parts, etc. Perhaps someone out there has a doll wiht PM eyelashes and a Mattel wig. If it is Josefina with her dark lashes they'll never know but if it is Kirsten they might right away.

The perfect doll, IMO is not a PM doll. It is a Mattel doll with PM eyelashes and PM clothes. The wigs are so much better - they tangle less and get less frizzy. The coloring seems to now be more consistant and so pretty. I do not like black lashes on a blonde doll, but for the translucent vinyl and lovely healthy cheeks I'll accept the tradeoff. I've seen many a MP with dull complexions, including our two Samanthas and Kirsten. I consider selling ours and buying newer ones for htis reason.

I know the talk among fans is always pro PM but I think sentimentality rules some of the opinions. We probably all wish Mattel had not bought AG. However, I want to encourage Mattel to do right by Pleasant Rowland's vision and quality. One way to do that is to give credit for what they do manage to do right. They know how to manufacture a quality product. I can't stand Barbie, but look at her details - her coloring is always good and in fact better than any of Gotz dolls. She has always stood head and shoulders above all her competitors - her quality wins hands down and it always has.

I have seen a lot of dolls by Gotz, Engle Puppen and Carolle, all of which might have ended up making AG dolls early on. All of them have problems with their vinyl that Mattel does not have. I love Carolle, but their color leeches out and ours have all turned white except for Calin. Guess what? Mattel bought that company too, and may have made our Calin, even though it still says Carolle n the neck ( later ones have Mattel on them).

I hope this clears up some of the mystery

Popsie