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Launched at the American Toy Fair in 1959, Barbie was the first teenage doll ever produced for children and quickly became one of the all-time best selling and most widely collected toys. Heavily promoted on TV, over a billion of the dolls have been sold. Collectors prize early numbered Barbie dolls from 1959 and the 1960s, as well as a wide range of rarities and special editions, such as Barbie dolls with bendable legs or red hair.
The toy was the vision of Ruth Handler, whose husband, Elliot, was the "el" in Mattel and whose daughter, Barbara, gave the doll its name. The inspiration for Barbie’s facial features and impossible hourglass figure was Bild Lilli, a doll Handler picked up in 1956 while vacationing in Europe.
Bild Lilli, which is a collectible in its own right, had pouty lips, reminiscent of the lips found on bisque and porcelain dolls in Europe. Mattel metallurgist Kohei Suzuki gave Barbie more natural-looking lips, although her eyes and nose were kept almost identical to those of her forebear...
The other critical difference between Bild Lilli and Barbie was the concept of accessories. Beyond Barbie’s standard black-and-white zebra-striped swimsuit, little girls in the United States could choose 22 other ensembles, ranging from a collarless Chanel-style jacket with matching sheath skirt to a satin-and-tulle bridal gown. Clothing designer Charlotte Johnson was hired away from her teaching post at Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles to complete this critical task.
Most of the outfits offered in 1959 were still available in 1960, making the three that were discontinued (Easter Parade, Gay Parisienne, and Roman Holiday) extremely collectible. Of the six new outfits added in 1960, Friday Night Date was one of the best, thanks to its charming blue corduroy jumper with felt appliqués, pair of soda glasses with cotton standing in for actual fizz, and a black serving tray bearing the Barbie logo.
1961 introduced the world to Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend named after Barbara Handler’s brother. In addition to Barbies with ponytails, dolls with bubble-cut 'dos were also offered. Barbie’s ever-increasing line of outfits suggested that this woman did more than go to fancy parties and beach barbecues — she was an American Airlines stewardess, a nurse, and even a professional ballerina.
Barbie’s best friend Midge was added in 1963. Though Midge’s facial features were different from Barbie’s, her body style was the same so that accessories could be mixed and matched between the two dolls. The following year Midge got her own boyfriend, Alan, and Barbie was given a kid sister, Skipper. Mattel even sold a pet poodle, which itself could be dressed in a variety of fun getups.
During the middle of the 1960s, dolls in the Barbie line gained bendable limbs so they could be posed, but the major facelift came in 1967. Rooted eyelashes replaced the doll’s plastic ones, and Twist 'N Turn Barbies were offered for just $1.50 plus the trade-in of an old doll, which is why many of the original vintage dolls are so hard to find and expensive. 1967 was also the year that Barbie and her increasing number of friends went mod. The Bermuda Holidays outfits predate Goldie Hawn’s costumes on Laugh-In.
1967 is important to Barbie collectors for two other reasons: It was the year an African-American doll, Francie, joined Barbie and her friends, and it was the last year the doll was manufactured in Japan. From 1968 onwards, Barbie dolls were produced in Mexico, Taiwan, and Korea.
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Barbie vinyl collectors, you've come to the right place: Janet Poff's visually stimulating gallery of Barbie vinyl… [read review or visit site]
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Jef Beck's definitive reference site on Ken dolls, from Malibu Ken to Talking Ken to Spanish Ken. Includes the earl… [read review or visit site]
Dollreference.com
This densely packed index of antique and vintage dolls claims to offer over 10,000 images of dolls from the 1800s … [read review or visit site]
Vintage Dolls of the 50s
Rhonda Wilson's collection of 1950s dolls, organized by name (Ginny and friends, Littlest Angel and friends, etc.) … [read review or visit site]
Kaylees Korner of Collectible Dolls
Kaylee's extensive collection of vintage dolls from the 1930s to 90s. Click the balloons to browse. Though Kaylee s… [read review or visit site]
Museum of Childhood
Embrace your inner child on this website from the Victoria and Albert Museum, filled with high-quality images and i… [read review or visit site]
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Recent News: Barbie Dolls
Source: Google News
Merida gets ANOTHER make-over as Target releases Barbie-like doll that looks ...
Daily Mail, May 20thIn contrast to Merida's untamed curls and endearing looks in the movie, this new doll, part of Target's Ultimate Disney Princess Collection, has a polished, styled haircut, disproportionately thin limbs and nondescript facial features that could...Read more
Barbie gets life-size Dreamhouse in Florida
Washington Post, May 20thLifelong Barbie fan Lynn Mulvaney-Japes, 51, was also excited about the Dreamhouse. “It's a big deal,” said Mulvaney-Japes, a member of a Barbie collector club. “In fact, we all want to go work there.” The Lauderhill, Florida, resident said she has...Read more
Fashion students create outfits for plus-size women
Cornell Chronicle, May 20thFor their Product Development class, Cornell apparel design sophomores Brandon Wen and Laura Zwanziger decided to create a clothing collection designed especially for plus-size women after their research revealed an overlooked market. But they faced an...Read more
Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts to ...
Clarksville Online, May 20thRheta Grimsley Johnson, journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the memoirs “Hank Hung the Moon” and “Enchanted Evening Barbie and the Second Coming.” Dale Ray Phillips, short story writer and author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated collection...Read more
Barbie's Dreamhouse Would Be Hella Expensive If It Were Real (PHOTOS)
Huffington Post, May 20thBarbie's Dreamhouse figured prominently in my youth. To be honest, it was a constant on my wishlist, but my parents deemed it too expensive to buy for a five-year-old girl. My mom was right (of course); I grew out of playing with dolls and that plastic...Read more
Clothing designer at the age of seven
Doncaster Today, May 20thAnd after a bit of crayoning the sketches are apparently set to be turned into a collection that will be available at a New York department store. I know the youngster regularly tops the most stylish child celebrity list but her own range - really...Read more
First Manhattan, now Barbie takes Berlin
Stuff.co.nz, May 19th"As far as we know the highlight of the house is a walk-in closet, which has the biggest high heel collection," says Michael Koschitzki, the mastermind behind Berlin's anti-Barbie movement. "This promotes quite a limited lifestyle for women, one which...Read more
Vintage Barbie dolls reflect the fashions of the early 1960s
Pocono Record, April 27thIn 1959, Barbie was featured in a TV commercial and she sold for $3. A new Barbie doll doesn't cost that much more today, but if you want to buy a vintage Barbie from the 1960s, get ready to open your wallet. Like some other baby boomers, Barbie came...Read more