Miniature rocking chair, sold as part of Wee Patsy Travel Set

CPSC Recall #98-060 — January 28, 1998

Recall Summary

Recall Number98-060
Recall DateJanuary 28, 1998
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedAbout 2,500

Where It Was Sold

Doll
gift
collectible and specialty toy stores nationwide
J.C. Penney catalogs and the Effanbee Collector's Society sold the Wee Patsy Travel Set from June 1996 through December 1996 for about $115.

Product

Miniature rocking chair, sold as part of Wee Patsy Travel Set

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Effanbee Doll Company of East Brunswick, N.J., is recalling about 2,500 miniature rocking chairs. The chair has excessive levels of lead in the paint, presenting a potential lead poisoning hazard to young children. CPSC and Effanbee are not aware of any illnesses or injuries involving this product. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of illness or injury. The rocking chair is wooden and each side of the chair is shaped into a cat's profile. The chair is painted white and the cat profiles are painted white with yellow outlines. The cat wears a green collar decorated with yellow and red dots. The cat also has brown flecks around its paws and tail. The cat has a red mouth, black nose, and black and gray eyes and ears. The chair measures about 1.75 inches wide and 4 inches long at its base. The rocking chair is part of the Wee Patsy Travel Set, which includes a miniature suitcase, two dolls, a paper doll book, doll clothing, a miniature train, a clown clothes tree, a miniature jack-in-the box, a plastic cat and the miniature rocking chair. Only the rocking chair is being recalled. Doll, gift, collectible and specialty toy stores nationwide, J.C. Penney catalogs and the Effanbee Collector's Society sold the Wee Patsy Travel Set from June 1996 through December 1996 for about $115. Consumers should take the miniature rocking chair away from children immediately. Effanbee is offering consumers a $5 refund, including postage, for the return of the miniature rocking chair. For information on how to return the miniature rocking chair and obtain a refund, consumers should call Effanbee at (800) 226-3647 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or write to the company at 19 Lexington Ave., East Brunswick, NJ 08816.

Hazard

The chair has excessive levels of lead in the paint, presenting a potential lead poisoning hazard to young children.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and Effanbee are not aware of any illnesses or injuries involving this product.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should take the miniature rocking chair away from children immediately. Effanbee is offering consumers a $5 refund, including postage, for the return of the miniature rocking chair.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Refund) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.