Scary Spice thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Adventure, Case 1

This object consists of 10 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Scary Spice

Doll
1997
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Character doll with an adult body, reverse socket head, slightly bent rigid arms and soft legs with internal knee mechanism. It is jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips. The feet are designed to have heeled shoes and the doll will not stand unaided. The hands are moulded with the four fingers together and a separate thumb. On the left hand is a 'gold' ring. The face is designed to represent Scary Spice, Melanie Brown, with dark eyes and hair, highlighted with gold.

It is dressed in a cropped top with neck strap and back velcro fastening; leopard print nylon plush, and a pair of matching wide-bottomed trousers. The accessories consist of a pair of calf length boot with thick soles and heels, moulded black plastic. A pair of spectacles with moulded black plastic frame with clear plastic lenses. A handheld cone-shaped microphone of moulded black plastic. A CD-player with drawer open, moulded plastic, black.

The packaging consists of a window box of cad printed in colours to show the title, maker's details, details about Melanie Brown, the person the doll represents, photographs of the Spice Girls and Mel B's signature. It opens top and bottom. Inside it is a folded and shaped card insert printed in pink with white and yellow starbursts representing stage lights. In the back are sets of holes through which plastic covered wires are threaded. These are placed around the body and limbs of the doll to support it when boxed. The head is held by two plastic lengths which have to be cut away from the back of the head


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 10 parts.

  • Doll
  • Top
  • Trousers
  • Boot
  • Boot
  • Spectacles
  • Microphone
  • CD Player
  • Packaging
  • Packaging
Titles
  • Scary Spice (manufacturer's title)
  • Spice Girls (series title)
  • Mel B (popular title)
Materials and techniques
PVC, plastic, card, saran
Brief description
Vinyl doll, Spice Girl Mel B., made in China by Galoob Toys Inc. for Toy Options Limited in 1997
Physical description
Character doll with an adult body, reverse socket head, slightly bent rigid arms and soft legs with internal knee mechanism. It is jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips. The feet are designed to have heeled shoes and the doll will not stand unaided. The hands are moulded with the four fingers together and a separate thumb. On the left hand is a 'gold' ring. The face is designed to represent Scary Spice, Melanie Brown, with dark eyes and hair, highlighted with gold.

It is dressed in a cropped top with neck strap and back velcro fastening; leopard print nylon plush, and a pair of matching wide-bottomed trousers. The accessories consist of a pair of calf length boot with thick soles and heels, moulded black plastic. A pair of spectacles with moulded black plastic frame with clear plastic lenses. A handheld cone-shaped microphone of moulded black plastic. A CD-player with drawer open, moulded plastic, black.

The packaging consists of a window box of cad printed in colours to show the title, maker's details, details about Melanie Brown, the person the doll represents, photographs of the Spice Girls and Mel B's signature. It opens top and bottom. Inside it is a folded and shaped card insert printed in pink with white and yellow starbursts representing stage lights. In the back are sets of holes through which plastic covered wires are threaded. These are placed around the body and limbs of the doll to support it when boxed. The head is held by two plastic lengths which have to be cut away from the back of the head
Dimensions
  • Doll dimensions height: 310mm
  • Doll dimensions width: 75mm
  • Doll dimensions depth: 50mm
Production typemass produced
Copy number
Spice Girls™
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Spice Girls™ / Girl Power / Mel B / Spice Girls Official Merchandise / For Ages Over 3' (printed on box)
  • 'MADE IN CHINA / Distributed by Galoob Direct Inc, a subsidiary of Galoob Toys Inc, South San Fransisco, CA 94080 / ©1997 SPICE GIRLS LTD / All Rights reserved' (printed on bottom of box together with bar code)
  • 'TOY OPTIONS LIMITED' (paper label stuck on bottom)
  • '©97GTI' (moulded into back waist line)
Gallery label
  • Girl power! The Spice Girls were one of the biggest pop groups in the world. They believed in girl power and had nicknames to match their characters. [Young V&A, Imagine gallery short object label] (2023)
  • ‘Stop right now! Thank you very much. We’re looking for a sixth member. Wanna be in our group?’ [Young V&A, Imagine Gallery, call to action label. (2023)
Credit line
Given by Catherine Howell
Production
Galoob Direct Inc and Toy Options Ltd are distributors.
Subjects depicted
Associated objects
Other numbers
  • Asst. 23500
  • 23505 - product number
Collection
Accession number
B.124:1 to 10-1998

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Record createdJune 23, 1998
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest