Happy birthday Cicciobello - Italy's most famous doll turns 50

He may look a little young for his age, but Cicciobello, the iconic doll made by Italian family-controlled Giochi Preziosi, has just turned 50 years old.

The Cicciobello doll, which was first produced in 1962, typically has blonde hair, blue eyes and a dummy. But what makes the toy, initially made by Sebine Bambole, quite unique is that it was one of the first dolls to cry and crawl.

It was later acquired by Giochi Preziosi, the Milan-based toy manufacturer controlled by the Preziosi family, and rapidly became Italy’s most popular doll.

Since 2004, more than one million Cicciobello toys have been sold in the country, with a recent survey by the company finding that 75% of Italian women had owned one during their childhood.

However, Cicciobello has also enjoyed considerable success outside Italy. It is now available in more than 20 countries across the world, including France, where it has been the top selling doll since 2008, the UK, Spain and the US. In 2010, more than 800,000 Cicciobello dolls and 350,000 accessories were sold globally.