New York Importer Announces Refund Program For "Funny Clown" Dressing Doll

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Brightly colored toy clown dolls, marketed as the "Funny Clown" or "Dress-Me Clown," are the subject of a safety warning/recall program by JSNY of New York, NY because they contain small parts that present a choking risk to children under the age of three. The refund program is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Over 250,000 clown dolls were sold by mail order catalogue and by retailers nationwide from 1986 to 1989 at a cost of about $5.00. Clothed primarily in red, blue and yellow, this doll has yellow string hair, a clown's cap and is about 13 inches long. It also has a snap, button, zipper, buckle and shoe laces intended to introduce children to various dressing functions. The doll may be identified by a cloth tag sewn onto the doll's cap that say: "JSNY."

While the dolls were advertised and age labelled for children over age three, they may be used by children under three. The Commission has tested the dolls and found that the button, buckle and zipper are small parts that present a choking, ingestion, and aspiration hazard to children under three. To date, no injuries have been reported.

Consumers owning a JSNY Funny Clown dress up doll which is being used by a child under age three should immediately take it away from the child and may arrange for a refund by phoning the company at its toll-free number, 1-800-841-1007, or its office number, 212-989-7591.