A rare Madame Alexander 7-inch "Tiny Betty" is dressed as Sonja Henie in a white satin costume with maribou trim and hat and is tagged Genuine/Sonja Henie/Madame Alexander N.Y. USA/ All Rights Reserved. According to Madame Alexander in the afore-mentioned 1983 interview with John Axe, sales of Sonja Henie dolls "lasted for three years." Indeed, the 194243 Album of Dolls Alexander Catalog shows a very Sonja-looking doll identified only as "Skating Doll." The doll came in an original box bearing the standard Alexander label with a portrait of Madame Alexander and stamped "Skating Girl." The tag inside the waist seam of her blue taffeta costume reads simply, Madame/Alexander/New York USA. Instead of the die-cut Sonja Henie wrist tag, she wears a generic Alexander foil tag of the period. No stranger to sound business practices, Madame Alexander knew she could avoid unnecessary costs by no longer using the star's name on a doll whose sales were declining. It is notable that her matching blue taffeta panties have a drawstring waist rather than the usual elastic. Was this due to wartime shortages? Deanna Durbin dolls appeared in a variety of costumes, both tagged and untagged. This doll came in an original box bearing the standard Alexander label with a portrait of Madame Alexander and stamped "Skating Girl." 44 WINTER 2019 This swivelwaist Sonja wears one of the rarest costumes.