Sorta sexy, kinda kitschy, it’s the Miss Chiquita Banana doll from 1944! Here she is in all her glory as a cut-and-sew, make-it-yourself, uncut cloth pattern (prior to 1964, this is how cloth dolls were available commercially). This pattern was originally offered as a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes premium, cost was 10 cents and a boxtop. When fully assembled, our Chiquita stands 10 inches tall.
Her inspiration? The spicy Brazilian bombshell Carmen Miranda.
There’s something about a topless cutie with nice legs, that catches the eye. Some gals get all the attention…
All right, Mr. DeMille, she’s ready for her closeup. (Actually looks pretty good for 65. Also, she doesn’t have the Norma Desmond creep factor).
Here’s the original Chiquita Banana jingle:
I’m Chiquita banana and I’ve come to say
Bananas have to ripen in a certain way
When they are fleck’d with brown and have a golden hue Bananas taste the best and are best for you
You can put them in a salad
You can put them in a pie-aye
Any way you want to eat them
It’s impossible to beat them
But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator
So you should never put bananas in the refrigerator.
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Allee Willis
Beautiful! I love that she’s not cut out yet so you can still stuff her and have a nice banana to lay on.
I wish they’d still give things out like this in cornflakes instead of the cheap little paper jokes that now pass as “prizes”.
I must compliment you on this superb job of putting your submission together. Nice big photographs, great shots of the details and very spirited writing. I hope you have a very Chiquita banana day!
Kyle Dayton
Thank you! I’ll display my Certifikitsch proudly.
Nessa
Neato! I have seen these sewn together but I don’t recall ever seeing one that was un-cut. I love the instructions.. the days before fiber fill!
Kyle Dayton
And…they make terrific “Get Well” Presents!