I Bought a Huge Vintage American Girl Lot! // Unboxing Samantha's Collection

[@annbrookens945]

This was SO COOL! I was a poor, single mom when I discovered American Girl in the early 2000s. I can't remember how I first found out about the collection but I immediately ordered the catalog. My daughters and I poured over it and all subsequent catalogs, wishing we could afford ALL the wonderful things! The closest we got was the books which we borrowed from the library. Watching this video brought it all back to me...and I still lust after the table and chairs!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

That's why I've so gotten into it now! 😉

[@KKIcons]

My kids and I have enjoyed giving the used budget finds a second life. We got a horse at goodwill for just 5 last year. Sometimes one still sees them secondhand for 25 or 30. Necessity also made better sewists out of the 3 of us as well.

[@CherishedDollFriends]

What a wonderful collection. How fun to find such old originals. A trunk full of treasures. 💕

[@megknitsstuff1727]

Recreating/finally obtaining childhood favorites with grown up money you control is 100% the best part about being adult. Love all of this. Also the box! My soul hurts! 😧😩😭😂

[@Mzrenegade]

brings back many hours of pouring through the American girl catalogs. I was a poor adult when they came out so never had the chance to own any, but I did love looking at all the cool stuff in the catalogs.

[@quix66hiya22]

Just bought my first days ago, and I’ll be 57 Tuesday.

[@homesteadwifehomesteadlife2533]

I bought my first as a poor 22 year old 😂 I only buy second hand, and sew my own doll clothes. I have 5 now 😂

[@nerdyrevelries422]

I had Samantha as a child. I did get an allowance for doing nothing as a kid, so it's not like I had to work super hard to get her, but I did have to save up multiple months to get her rather than getting her as a present, and I remember how hard it was waiting until I had enough money to get her. All of the official items were very expensive (they were great quality, after all), so most of the clothes and accessories I have for her are from other companies (I have a lovely little lace parasol that opens and closes!) or made by my mom, who knows her way around a sewing machine. I love the stuff I have for her, but I still wanted official stuff that I never got, so seeing this video let me relive that part of my childhood for a bit! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

That's how I was as well. I had Samantha and Felicity, but I only had one other Pleasant company item for each of them (Samantha's cloak and Felicity's undergarments), and everything else came from a little local handcrafts store.

[@AngelavengerL]

So fun to watch. I always wanted Samantha as my second choice but Felicity won my heart. I used to spend so many hours just going through the catalog and daydreaming. Her table and chair set is just so cute!

[@nanasewdear]

I have always loved Samantha. When Pleasant Company got started I was nearly 30-years-old. I love dolls but didn't have a real collection at the time. We eventually got the dolls for my daughters but money was tight and they had many "mommy made" outfits. I didn't get my own Samantha until I was in my 50s, a gift from my husband after I had my knee replaced! Try soaking the pinafore in some OxyClean. (PS....Your kitty is really a beautiful color!)

[@EilonwyG]

I would kill to have Samantha's complete collection, this was amazing to see! Yeah, sending that stuff in the original box hurt my soul, roo. I so wish I could get her trunk, it always looked amazing. I've got her bed and one of my first sewing projects I ever did was to make realistic sheets and a fitted sheet and extra pillows for the bed because I was annoyed it only came with a comforter.

[@LuvlyCH4R]

My mom had all of this! I loved playing with these😊

[@cherylf7333]

I love tiny things so seeing all the little sketch books and school books etc was super cool.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It's amazing how much detail they put into all of those!

[@Skirt553]

it'd be really neat if you scanned the stuff like the valentines and the paper doll!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I hadn't thought about that! I might give that a try.

[@morrowdimtindomiel]

What a rare opportunity for you! Thank you for sharing this moment with us.

[@sarafactorial]

Oh wow, this is like a fantasy for me. Samantha wasn't a favorite growing up but it hardly matters; I used to drool over those catalogs as a kid! So far I've held myself back as an adult but an early-mid 90s mystery box... I don't think I could resist especially Addy/Kirsten/Molly 💜💜💜 That's so frustrating that part of the bed was cut out of the photo, though!!!

[@margarethall1625]

I was in my teens when the American girl dolls came out. I remember being able to find them at Shopko. I had enough money to buy one doll and their book but didn't because one of my younger sisters was begging me to buy her stuff when she had her own money. I just walked out. I wish id gone back and bought one then. I forgot about the dolls til my friend's daughter reintroduced me to them. I have Samantha's bed and her commode. I just finished making a mini granny square afghan for it out of leftover sock yarn. I love making my own version of their clothes.

[@americangirldolls2874]

The napkin in the lunch set is a rare 1987 version that had tulips on it instead of daisies and they made it for a brief bit of time before switching back to daisy patterns 😊

[@americangirldolls2874]

Also the black piece you found is the heel to the middy boots witch means the boots are the first edition wooden heel and mos of them have lost the heels but that’s what that piece is also

[@SciFiFreak185]

20:29 My American Girl Collection is nowhere near as complete as this Samantha one but I have a decent stack of booklets too. I could never bring myself to throw them away as a kid (or now as an adult). LoL. Same with most of the packaging. I cry for that box.

[@wyogrl11]

Try Oxyclean on the table cloth. I used it on my Great Aunt’s table cloths from post WWII Japan. It took a couple of soakings to remove all of the discoloration, but they came out beautifully.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, already did and it's lovely now!

[@brandyloutherback9288]

There is a Caroline doll in Regency attire! I Love the Regency era so I want this doll's Clothes! She's came out in 2012 to mark the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812! Laura Ingalls' Grandmother Charlotte also grew up around Boston during the War of 1812!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, I love Caroline. All of her books are legitimately good too - definitely worth a read!

[@disneybarbiegirl615]

That’s the rare lace variation too for that christmas dress! Congratulations on the lot, a great find

[@theresamarie6258]

This brought back so many memories of looking through the catalog! Samantha is my favorite! I loved her movie too! My sister had Samantha and Nellie but would let me play with them. They are now stored away in my closet in their original outfits. I’m beginning to wonder if this is why I have taken an interest in the Edwardian era now as an adult.

[@SherBear88]

I am not a fan of American girl dolls…or any dolls really…it’s just not my thing, but I really enjoy all the videos that you post on them. Your love for them..it’s so fun to watch. 😊

[@tabby5228]

This collection is stunning. My collection is more dolls and less extra items, though I do have some of Kirsten’s furniture. Always wanted more of Samantha’s collection, since she was my first. Thanks for sharing this and as much as I wish I could have just one of those outfits, or items, I don’t think it is possible right now. Not responsibly anyways.

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

I was a Samantha girl! Because the Edwardian era had the prettiest dresses, of course.

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

You're saying the lack of wrapping makes you nervous? The way you're letting your pets around these pieces is making _me_ nervous!

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

Oh that has to be the red dress, it matches your sweater exactly.

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

I'm sure you have other things you can sell to recoup the purchase 😈

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Honestly, the only items that Dora has shown any interest in (and that I'm keeping her away from) are the burgundy boxes that were in the listing, and the trunk. And Lion doesn't care at all. And I was totally a Samantha girl, too. ☺️

[@tiredoftrolls2629]

Dept 56 was/is a collectables company like Enesco. I remember them mostly for their elaborate lighted china/ceramic houses that you would collect for a village. They may have supplied Pleasant Company with some items as they had been the bigger company at the start.

[@kristymekeel2172]

It's so cool getting to see a collection like this! My family was poor growing up, so the most I ever got was a few mini dolls (Samantha, Nellie, Molly) and just about all the books (we got them used and employee discounted at the bookstore my mom worked for). Now that I'm an adult, I was finally able to buy myself the 18-inch Samantha and Nellie dolls. I did this partially because I had always wanted them (they're my favorites) and partially because I just had a daughter, whom I named Nellie, and I wanted her to eventually have the doll she was named after.

[@christineb5232]

Samantha stuff was fantastic but I remember i always wanted Kristen because she reminded me of Laura Ingalls little house .

[@jenniferbaker3207]

Girl you got the good stuff that’s original I remember the bed still got mine at my mamas that trunk is worth a lot of money. I always wanted one but it’s funny cause it’s probably worth more that the doll was was and is back in the say

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I've wanted that trunk for so long! It's not worth more than this particular doll, but definitely more than a tan-body Samantha doll!

[@Lea-bw9wj]

As I'm not American I know nothing about or have ever scene the doll. I can see why a kid would love these dolls.

[@kristinmarie862]

I got my Samantha in 1988. My books were paperback and I didn't have any of her "stuff" except the Clara doll. Had her clothes except the school and winter dresses. The red dress looks exactly like the one I had.

[@Flanuora]

The fact you could recreate the catalog photos ❤ Amazing 🤩

[@faydreamsmystic4]

For the ink spot get some acne cream with benzole peroxide 10%. Apply it to the area and wrap with cling wrap. It will take time but once placed in the sun it will start to remove the ink from the plastic. You might have to apply it a few time every other day. I've done this for dolls and it works.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I did that for a few days (using a heating pad instead of the sun), but it didn't seem to do anything. I'll try again later, but I decided I wanted to dress her up for now.

[@megknitsstuff1727]

I used alcohol on a Julie and a mid 90s PC Josephina with ink/marker spots (not that large though) and non acetone nail polish remover on a Saige for freckles (didn’t like them but the doll was a steal), nail polish, and thick marker. If your careful and rinse with water between applications, it doesnt hurt the vinyl that i could tell.

[@faydreamsmystic4]

Heat works for lighter inks but with that black it's the sun or nothing. Just be careful not to get the cream on other areas as it can bleach it.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

@@faydreamsmystic4 darn. I don't really get sun at my house.

[@faydreamsmystic4]

Do you have those lamps used by most KZbin for a more natural light in you work room? If so then when you are filming place her in a spot where the light will expose the leg. It's the uv in the sun that's causing the reaction. Most of those lamps use light that mimic it to reduce the yellowing of normal lights. Might take longer if you don't want to burn out your lamps but that should help.

[@starryeyeschick]

What a dream collection! Someday I’d love to buy a lot like that to keep some and sell some. It was fun seeing you unbox everything!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yeah, I do wish I could have afforded to keep the whole lot! What a lucky kid that had it all.

[@HockityPock]

i ahven't watched the video yet and i'm already horrifically jealous. what a lovely find!

[@sandiemable]

Wish I was there with you; so much fun! The fabric is so delicate that I would not wash it in bleach. I would first dissolve baking soda in warm water and soak the items to loosen the dust and dirt. This might be the only step you will need to do, but if needed, you can then soak the items with a little mild laundry soap, and a little Clorox II all-fabric bleach. xoxo's Sandie

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I wound up just using oxyclean. Bleach scares me, tbh, so I really never use it.

[@thesavingsorceress]

I’ve always wanted to buy one of those big American Girl eBay lots, so this a ton of fun to watch! I can’t believe you got a white body Samantha. That’s the dream! ✨ For the stain on her leg, you probably know this trick already, but I recommend benzoyl peroxide acne medication and some sunlight. I was shocked how well that worked on one of my stained secondhand dolls. I love how many rare accessories you got! I’ve always loved the lacy whites set. And wow, that trunk is gorgeous! I can’t believe they shipped the second one in an original box though. They must have had no idea how much it was worth. I’m in love with the table and chairs. It’s amazing to see the whole original Samantha set all together! My inner child was jumping with joy watching you unbox this (and adult me was honestly equally as excited)! 🥰

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I've tried a few days of the benzoyl peroxide with a heating pad, but it doesn't seem to have done anything. I may just try to forget that it exists, since it will always be covered by clothes anyway.

[@kellyhacker969]

@@LadyRebeccaFashionsHairspray or hand sanitizer sometimes works for ink stains, rubbing alcohol would also work. Years ago I accidentally got ink on my Samantha doll and from what I remember, I was able to get a lot of the stain out with hairspray. 😊

[@teddy-3765]

WHOOOP! Love me some dolly content among the sewing and costume content!

[@melsmith5833]

How wonderful and amazing that you got a white body Samantha! And her trunk! Super cool. I am so sorry the packing was so bad and that the second, special box was damaged! I have a little bit newer Samantha but I gave her to my little granddaughter. I am always hoping to find the originals at decent prices and search the thrift stores often.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thanks! I've never had luck finding the dolls at the thrift store, but I know other people have. I have better luck with eBay, Mercari, and Facebook marketplace.

[@roslynholcomb]

Your reaction reminds me of the time I walked past my neighbor’s yard and caught him lying on a 125 yo quilt to work on his car! I screamed so loudly he just gave me his grandmother’s ‘old blanket’. 🙄 Unfortunately these things are sometimes inherited by people who don’t value them. I wonder what happened to the girl who’s parents bought her an (even then) crazy expensive doll set. Considering the condition it was in (despite the shipping) she obviously treasured and treated it well. I always find myself wondering about things like that when I find old quilts. So happy about your treasure and your obvious joy in it.

[@Rainbopagn]

I have to know how they blanket fared!! Please update us!

[@roslynholcomb]

@@Rainbopagn The quilt is ifine. Thankfully he’d only got a little oil on it. I was able to wash it in my bathtub with some Dawn soap and it came out. I think I scared the poor man to death! I have so many quilt rescue stories but that one was the most egregious.

[@kelseypeterson5172]

I could feel your fear and anxiety when you found out nothing was wrapped in the boxes! I had a similar issue when I purchased my barbie nutcracker movie dolls, the seller didn't have anything wrapped, not even a sheet of bubble wrap or tissue paper on top of them. And the horse is hollow so I was super scared but luckily everything came out perfectly and nothing was missing. I don't understand why people don't bother to wrap something for Shipping, knowing how badly packages get treated in transit. Especially when you've received money for said item, you should take care that the buyer receives it in the same condition they bought it in. I'm glad everything came out mostly unscathed, and this was an absolutely fabulous haul. As someone who never had the dolls growing up, I definitely oogled the catalogs ALOT and seeing someone unbox so many of the early items was amazing. Also saw one of your comments to someone else on here and I can't wait to see you delve into the historical accuracy of their outfits!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yeah, I definitely don't understand people like that. 🤦‍♀️

[@joantrainor6584]

My husband surprised me with a similar Samantha collection a number of years ago. I still have it all and I have enjoyed this video so much!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Wow, what a great husband!

[@sheree2985]

Ah, you are blessed. Someday I hope to get a complete collection for both Samantha and Addy.

[@fludrbywest3886]

Wow that’s amazing, I would only love if I had my original dolls back in the day but I was a moved around child

[@steph585]

Fabulous find!!!!

[@haverdee23]

amazing!! would you ever do a whole collection tour? id love to see more!!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Kind of? I actually am going to be starting a series examining all the historical outfits and how historically accurate they are.

[@haverdee23]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions that sounds SO FUN!!

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

Ohhh exciting!!!❤❤❤

[@jennybartolo4360]

I was going to recommend IDream of Johnny! Are you planning on keeping the meet dress? We have a tan body Sam but none of her clothes.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, I'm keeping the meet dress so that the 87 Sam has her original look. I do still have a 90s version of her Christmas dress available, if you're interested (I kept the Christmas dress that came in this lot).

[@karapwns]

Omg, reliving my childhood with this!

[@kylejolley]

The ones made in Korea and Hong Kong are special just by saying that. Because those were made especially the Hong Kong ones, because it was before "Made in China" became a thing. My grandmother now we have somethings that say made in Taiwan. Those are special.

[@quicksilvertears921]

What an exciting buy! I am so happy for you. I would not be selling. What a treasure.

[@qienna6677]

lol at Dora 'helping' behind you

[@bekytg9393]

Pretty amazing collection. I thought of you, when I watched a recent episode of SNL, they had an American Girl skit on it.

[@DM-fd2ng]

Theres a video on youtube about fixing American doll hair with Robert Tonner and he got out a spot like that on the dolls body with cleaner from Dollspart Supply.

[@kayta84]

How package tings like this? I felt you pain when you saw nothing was packed properly😢 bubblewrap is a thing! and anyone with a brain should know a box from the 80s is fragile!

[@nixhixx]

Shipping that box as an exterior box is a SIN.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Ugh, right?

[@pompe221]

Even with the bad/nonexistent packing and the nondisclosed damage, you still got an excellent lot of early Pleasant Company Samantha stuff! (But seriously, let the seller know that they really screwed up because shipping porcelain and glass without packing material and not disclosing the damage is NOT cool.)

[@idreamofjonny]

Thank you for the shoutout! 😘💕 I never get tired of looking at the original collection. It's crazy you got just about everything!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thanks for all the help! And yeah, realizing it was everything she had by 1988 was like, 🤯

[@firecracker3911]

So exciting!!!

[@libertyann439]

I love looking at all this stuff but I have no room for it. I actually had a "just like me" doll that looked a lot like Samantha but I eventually sold it.

[@nevertoooldfordolls]

I hope you left a reveiw about all of the terrable shiping packages on ebay. Its not that hard to pack things safely.

[@chychy7559]

Omg that Cranberry dress is the heart lace one!! Its a really rare variant!! Edit: yes! The blue lined purse is very rare and I believe is first edition as well! Edit: that poor box!! Ignorant people absolutely make me want to cry :(

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yeah, I wound up keeping that one, and I'm selling the late 90s one I already had. 😉

[@ravenfirestone3130]

SO lucky!

[@redvelvetrose]

Not sure what AG dolls are made of, but I have a couple different methods for removing stains from vintage My Little Ponies, which are made from vinyl. First is always soap and water. Then a magic eraser. Then pure acetone. If none of those work I break out the UV box and acne cream.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I haven't tried acetone, but I've done all the others. I don't think the acne cream is even helping yet, even though I've done a few days of it.

[@redvelvetrose]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Oh, the acne cream will take months. It is a very time consuming process. UV light (either direct sunlight or a UV lamp) will help speed it up, but it'll still be a few weeks.

[@redvelvetrose]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Here's a video of my favorite "big guns" cleaning process. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqKzZ2ptd96pY7M

[@SusanYeske701]

Is that just for ink and marker and stuff or does it work on the Shmooze/Pony cancer?

[@lousylionn455]

This was SO wild to watch, Samantha has been my favorite historical girl from a non-fan perspective lol. Hope you sorted out the issues with the seller though! I understand non-collectors lacking knowledge on what they sell, but that packing was HORRID 😭

[@charlotteamaro7165]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Haghenveien]

A better option than bleach to get rid of those stains and yellowing in the white clothes is using sodium perborate. If you can sun dry them, even better.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I wound up using oxyclean. Bleach scares me, tbh.

[@dallasswegle1270]

Do you have the slippers for the nightgown?😊

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I had some already, but not in this lot. I think those came out later.

[@cartoonygothica]

That is quite a collection. I did not expect to see an actual Samantha doll included in the haul. So, are the Lacy Whites basically like a camisole, petticoat, and stockings designed to be worn with the drawers the Samantha doll comes with? What platform are you planning to sell one of your Samantha dolls on? I'm interested in getting an American Girl doll, though I can't exactly afford one at full price right now.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, the lacy whites are the camisole, petticoat, and stockings (held up by attached garters). I have her listed on Facebook and Instagram right now, I think for $225. But if you are not fussed with getting one of the older white body dolls, you can find tan body Samantha dolls quite inexpensively on eBay and Mercari.

[@aiyannabellisima4907]

I'm not that familiar with American girl doll, I'm the wrong generation, but is this condition typical? It seems sad that the collection is mostly complete, with tags and never played with or used. Loved the unboxing though!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yes and no. I think a lot of times, when you see larger amounts of the older items all together, they're often in pretty good condition. It's the newer stuff that seems to show up more trashed. I think a lot of kids knew that they were getting something very fancy, and they had to take care of it. I did find, after filming, that they had written in the composition book, so I know it was played with, at least!

[@dollmom3597]

Do you mean that Johnny shipped these items? Love your doll sewing tutorials.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

No, this isn't from Jonny (he would never ship like this), but he's the most knowledgeable person when it comes to this early stuff, and helped me figure out what all I had. And thank you!

[@joecoloff4247]

So fun

[@buffmontana4203]

What about the paw sneaking under the door?!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Haha! I love that you caught that. That was Dora.

[@XaurianQueen]

I wasnt into AG when i was young enough for it, and when i was in middle school i felt like i was too old to ask for them so I'd just reread the catalogue wistfully. And now unless i want to buy secondhand i wont have any, since i dont trust modern AG. I love quality, detailed things.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It's really easy to find AG secondhand! Facebook marketplace and eBay can both be quite dangerous.

[@XaurianQueen]

@LadyRebeccaFashions I was just looking for a replacement teaset like I had as a girl, it was packed in a little basket with tiny silverware and everything and I miss it dearly. I'm also working on a list of books I read as a child that made an impression on me. Some of them are obscure and out of print! I need to see which AG girls I want to focus on. I was always fond of Josefina since I grew up in the southwest. Thanks for the reply ❤️

[@vikkizoo1]

I had to rewind a sec…yes that was a kitty paw under the door. 😂😂

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Haha! Yep! 😂

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Your joy is contagious! I have a smile on my face now! Enjoy I’m off to do boaring domestic crap!

[@thequietamericangirl1065]

Do you have Samantha’s porcelain trinket box?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

No, I'm not aware of that piece.

[@thequietamericangirl1065]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6W1kJ-DqMl3eKs I can’t find much info on it, seem likely to at least be pre 90s.

[@TealCheetah]

Your joy

[@2020Dumpsterfire]

I know it’s Meet Dress, but every time you said meet I was like MEAT DRESS!!!! So sorry about the awful shipping treatment, even if it was a brand new box you’re not suppose to ship stuff just naked like that.

[@americangirlprettyprincess]

Hey im sorry to bother you but I think I misunderstood you in the video! Did you get this packages from I dream of johnny? Cuz that is what I thought 😅

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

No, some random seller on eBay. Johnny helped me figure out dates on things once I had it.

[@americangirlprettyprincess]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions omg I'm an idiot I thought he was the one who sold you that!!!! Yikes 😳😬😕😅

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

​@@americangirlprettyprincess oh gosh, he would never ship things that poorly!

[@Coolslays]

Me crying because that thing she didn’t know what it was was her saves the day heel and that happened to some too😭😭

[@amandacostandine6026]

Not my brain going "meat" everytime you meant "meet"

[@MysteryMommy1]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@joannamcclelland5049]

Shipped in the orginal box, WTF?!?!?! 😳

[@JamesBond-lt5tr]

The white body is the original doll

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yes, they had white bodies until 1991.

[@wheenmist]

That was fun, thanks.

[@TealCheetah]

What a lazy seller

[@pattyliebe9008]

Thanks for sharing, but please remember just because you place value on something does not mean other do. The seller might have just thout a box is a box..

[@annbrookens945]

The real problem with that is that it wasn't sturdy enough to survive shipping. It also occurs to me that the seller is not the original collector. The one who carefully kept all those small boxes and pamphlets AND that box would never have used it for shipping!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yeah, they were selling it for a friend, and didn't know the box had value, but regardless, literally a 5 year old could tell that that was not a shipping box.

[@SarahStauf-g2w]

Don’t complain