Penny Brite, manufactured by Deluxe Reading (Topper Toys) in the early 1960's, is easy and fun to collect. She and her clothes are well made, yet easy to find. Penny is 8 inches tall and made of vinyl. She has rooted, blond page boy styled hair. Her facial features are painted; her eyes are black and white and side glancing. Her mouth is open slightly to show her front teeth. She has cute dimples in her cheeks. 
 

Penny's head swivels on a ball joint. The second year dolls have jointed arms and legs, allowing her to be posed. Her head markings are A-9//DELUXE READING CORP.//©1963. Other possible head marking (first line) are: 81, 832, A25, B90, B132, A100, B19 and B143. Her back is marked DELUXE READING CORP.// ELIZABETH, NJ.// PAT. PENDING. I have seen a variation in her eye painting. One version is sharp and clear white, while the other is rather blurry.

Penny Brite was sold in a small plastic case with a blue back and clear front. The carrying handle swings down into the box to serve as a rack to hang her clothes. There is a clothing pamphlet in a slot in the back.

Penny's original outfit includes a red and white pleated dress with short cuffed sleeves and a collar. The dress snaps up the back. There are little blue flower appliqués on the white panels. I've found two versions of the flower appliqué. She is also wearing white panties, red shoes, and a red hair bow.

Penny Brite clothes came in two different types of packaging: A tray type of package which included shoes, a hanger, a booklet and possibly an accessory or two.

Or, a flat type of package, which only included the clothing items. There were also outfits that came with her structures, as well as the Cragstan Miss Cindy outfits and the generic outfits.

"CHIT CHAT"  Sorry, the line is busy! That's because Penny Brite is at home calling all of her friends. She wears black velvet pants, white top embroidered w/"Chit Chat", black bow in her hair and red shoes. The outfit also includes a red princess telephone and a date book.

"SINGING IN THE RAIN" #1503. Let it rain! Let it Rain! Penny Brite will never complain in her black and white checkered raincoat trimmed with red corduroy, matching hat and umbrella, and red boots. 

"SUN AND FUN" # 1562. Penny Brite's day at the seashore is a delight when she wears her red checked bathing suit, white terry cloth hooded robe trimmed with solid red binding, straw colored plastic sandals and bag, white terry towel stitched in red, and sunglasses. The brochure shows red rimmed sunglasses, but my version has green wrap around sunglasses.

"WINTER PRINCESS" Penny Brite cuts a smart figure eight in her black stretch pants, white knitted sweater, hat and ice skates.

"ANCHORS AWAY" #1538. Every where Penny Brite goes, eyes are sure to turn when she is wearing her navy suit with white collar and cuffs, matching sailor hat, red plastic purse and shoes.

"FLOWER GIRL" Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the prettiest of them all? Penny Brite, in her lovely pink tier skirted, floor length dress, pink shoes, bouquet and pink hair bow.

"SHEER DELIGHT" #1759. Penny Brite's white lacy under things trimmed with pink flowers. This outfit includes underpants, camisole and half slip, as well as a pink brush and comb and pink shoes.

"SWEET VIOLET"  #1708. A violet and white checked play outfit for Penny Brite, including a sleeveless top with white rick-rack trim, matching panties and hair bow. There is also a red and yellow play ball and violet shoes.

"VELVET PRINCESS" #1718. Penny Brite looks like a princess in her velvet dress and hair bow, pink flowers, white shoes and purse.

"SUNDAY BEST" Penny Brite is ready to go to church in her white sleeveless shift trimmed with blue and white gingham binding, blue and white gingham panties, straw hat trimmed with blue and white gingham and white shoes.

"PICNIC TREAT" #1724. Penny Brite is dressed for a picnic in her blue denim jeans, red and white triangle scarf and handkerchief and red shoes.

"SMART SHOPPER" Penny Brite is ready to go shopping in her flowered sun dress trimmed with green matching panties and triangle scarf, straw colored plastic sandals and bag.

"KITCHEN DINETTE"  Kitchen dinette is as real as life. Dish cabinet and sink has a sliding door with dishes. Sink has a hinged door and removable drip pan. Rinse tray contains cups, saucers. Dinette table and chairs ... table has removable lazy susan and glasses. Set includes 2 piece dress and apron set.

"TRAVEL SET"   Penny Brite is a doll who travels in style! Sports car with luxuriously styled bucket seat cushions, glamorous dashboard, metallized luggage rack, hub caps, and radio antenna. Luggage - suitcase, hatbox and shoulder bag to match. Set includes coat and hat, and pet dog.

"BEAUTY PARLOR"  Penny Brite is a pretty doll, and little girls can keep her pretty with this beauty parlor. Hair dryer has pivoting hood. Beauty parlor chair turns and tilts. Sink and stool - sink has mirror and hold water so you can wash Penny Brite's hair. Set includes attractive beauty parlor smock.

"BEDROOM SET"  What girl won't want to say "Good Night" to Penny Brite with this play set. Bedroom - There are three gracefully designed pieces of furniture: Bed with canopy, bedspread and pillow; Dresser unit with ruffled skirt, mirror and two lamps; and a stool. Set includes two piece pajama set. 

"SCHOOL ROOM"  Penny Brite learns her ABC's like a real little girl. Desk and chair is as modern as today's newest schoolroom. Blackboard and easel is a real one, with chalk and eraser. Realistically designed briefcase, and a pen and a book. Set includes a two piece schoolgirl dress.

This is Penny's carrying case. The case came in light blue, black and red colors. It has a place to hang her outfits and a drawer for her accessories. 

"BRIDAL OUTFIT"  Satin bride dress with three-quarter length sleeves, a pleat at the center front and a ribbon bow. Snap closures in back. Headpiece with white plastic flowers and net veil. Bouquet of plastic red, pink, light blue and white flowers, with a ribbon bow. White Penny Brite shoes, marked "Made in Hong Kong." 

"NURSE OUTFIT"  White cotton nurse's uniform, with a pleated skirt, short cuffed sleeves, white buttons up the center front, and a red cross on the front. White nurses cap with a red cross on the front. White Penny Brite (Hong Kong) shoes. This outfit also includes a red hot water bottle that is a little large for the doll. There is also a yellow plastic toy thermometer. 

"SKI OUTFIT"   Red flannel ski parka, with a hood. Sleeves and hood are trimmed with white fake fur. White buttons up the front, with two snap closures. Bottom of the jacket is gathered with elastic. Black stretch knit ski pants with elasticized waist. This outfit came with black Penny Brite shoes, but the red boots from "Singing in the Rain" work better with this outfit. Also included are red plastic skis and yellow plastic ski poles. 

"PREMIER SUNGLASSES, PURSE AND SHOE SET"  White "cat's eye" sunglasses, plastic purse with a flowered design molded in, and white shoes, marked "Hong Kong."

"CRAGSTAN MISS CINDY"  Miss Cindy appears to be made from the same mold as Penny Brite. Her face painting is not as nice. She is marked "HONG KONG" on her lower back. Her hair color is not the same as Penny Brite. Elbows and knees are not bendable. Miss Cindy has vinyl head and arms, and rigid vinyl torso and legs. Outfits were sold for Miss Cindy.

I hope that you have found this site helpful, interesting, and informative. If you have any questions, comments or corrections, please  email me. 
Also, I would like to give extreme thanks to my husband, who helped set up this page.  

Penny Brite is copyright of De Luxe Reading Corp., 1964 

Carole Fisher 

Revision A. 3/28/99 RLF