Victorian Valise (RETIRED)

[QNPoohBear]

This item was released in 1988 and retired in 2007.

Samantha's black valise with its fine brass fittings come in handy when she helped Nellie sneak out of the orphanage. Fill your valise with her pretty whites when she goes on a trip to visit Grandmary.


This review is for the 2004-current version.

The valise is made from heavy plastic. It has a metal button you turn to close it. The inside is roomy enough to fit Samantha's shoes and socks, or a folded outfit or some undergarments. It's too big and heavy for Samantha to hold and is not to scale. Overall, this is a nice item for storage, but don't cry if you don't have it.

The older version is smaller and feels more like real leather.

Grade: B

[EofA]

This is the most dreadful piece of bleh that AG has foisted upon us. I don't collect for Samantha, but I liked the looks of this piece from photos, and thought it could be utilitarian for our other dolls. And for $8 on clearance, I thought I couldn't go wrong.

Wrong.

It's hideous. I remember having a vinyl purse like this as a little girl that my mother got me at KMart. That one was nicer than this thing.

The valise is just so tacky and plastic. Mind you, I *don't* have an aversion to plastic playthings, but I *do* have my standards. As Qnpoohbear indicated, it's not even to doll scale.

I took a few photos when it arrived, put it back in the box, and shipped it back to AG for a refund. I have *never* done that before, but I simply refused to waste my $8 on junk. Fortunately my daughter had some duplicate birthday gifts to return as well, so we didn't waste return postage just for this thing. LOL.

The valise gets a F for me as a doll accessory. But I'll give it a D as a little girl's cheap purse.

[glasshalffull]

I returned mine also. It was too difficult for my hands to turn the lock thing, and I'm not even a child. So I could imagine a child getting really frustrated trying to close and lock it.

[ravynsong]

Meh, I must admit it's quite blah. I give it a "B", but I dont know much about luggage from that time period, so maybe luggage really was "blah" at that time. If it was, then I guess it should get an A.
I do like how roomy it is, though, so that's a big plus, especially if older versions were smaller. Mine is from 2007. I'm satisfied enough to keep it.

grade: B

[marytam]

I have an older PM version which is smaller, softer (more like real leather) and the brass fittings are more realistic and natural. I hate the newer version which is stiff black plastic. It is so hard and unyielding that it won't even stand on it's on, it keeps rolling over because the bottom isn't flat.

[keeperofthepast]

My daughter has the older version and has always liked it. As a child she pretended it was medical bag for her dolls. It does remind me of a smaller version of a purse I had as a child.