Flair's Angelina Ballerina: Part 1/4: Origins.

Flair (UK toy company since 1999) took over the production of Sylvanian Families in the UK in 1999/2000. Up to then, Epoch only produced Sylvanian Families in Japan. In 2013, Flair transferred the rights for the UK toys to Epoch UK. Flair released the Angelina Ballerina sets, yet claims to have no more info on the series, after contacting them. Through the help of some members of the Sylvanian forum, and lots of online research, I gathered more info and pictures.

Angelina Ballerina are children's books by author Katharine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig about a mouse (Angelina Jeanette Mouseling) who is training to become a ballerina. The first book was published in 1983 and since then there have been over twenty books in the series. The books have been adapted into two animated television series.

The toy series were released in 2003 by Flair. They re-released the Sylvanian Families Meadowcroft Cottage as an Angelina Ballerina Cheddar Cottage. The "Mrs. Mouseling & Polly" set includes an adult mouse, pram and baby. However, the "baby" is actually a repurposed standing Sylvanian Families Meadows mouse baby. The kitchen furniture uses Sylvanian molds obviously. Polly's pram is a reused mold of an original Sylvanian Baby Pram.

I will show all the visual info I found online from sales adverts.

In 2005, the last Angelina Ballerina pieces were released.

In 2006, a limited edition Calico Critters Katie Kitty Ballerina was released, wearing an Angelina's Pink Tutu outfit, a spare Angelina's Pink Paw Twins outfit, reusing Angelina's mirror and ballet barre .

In 2009, Calico Critters released Britney's Ballet Recital, in 2 different boxes apparently, yet again using the same design of the pink tutu outfit, barre and mirror.

So, there was an obvious crossover between Sylvanian/Calico Critter items.

Here's the original Angelina Ballerina catalogue.

This is the text that was on one of the sets:

Next blog: the Theatre!