I have a white body Samantha and we got my little sister a Mattel Samantha for Christmas.
1) WB is more fraglie, obviously age and played with during my childhood. I would not buy one for a child,
2) Mattel has better color and seems ready to stand up to lots of love from a kid.
3) Mattel has better color, although WB has those nice, feathery, curly eyelashes.
4) WB original tights thicker, knit tights. Mattel tights are more like nylon tights and more likely to snag.
5) Mattel plastic mary janes are harder than the WB original mary janes.
6) Mattel's body is less stuffed and cuddly, also, Mattel's vinyl is much harder and not as squeezable.
Both are gorgeous dolls and I highly recommend either one. An adult collector may prefer a white body or pre-mattel, but I think Mattel dolls are better for girls. A++++
I have a WB Samantha. I think she is very pretty. But I agree that a WB isn't a good idea for a child. I also have a 91' Samantha as well. Both are very lovely.
I have both of these dolls, too. I'd always wanted Samantha, so I got her with Nellie at AGPNY in 2004. She's very cute, but she just didn't look like that gorgeous PM Samantha I'd always fantasized over. So this past January, I found a GREAT deal on a white-bodied Samantha. Except for needing to be restrung, she's in great condition. Especially for $56.01, with only $5 shipping.
Several of my older PC dolls are paler than the newer dolls from Mattel, including my WB Sam. I'm not sure whether she was always this way or if she's faded slightly over the years (although she's been kept out of direct sunlight). Either way, I love her.
