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Ken, introduced by Mattel in 1961 as Barbie's steady boyfriend, has gone through many incarnations over the decades. Ken was created just two years after Barbie and has been produced every year since, except in 1968 when Mattel decided to change his body mold. Today's Ken still uses the 1968 body mold, so collectors use the stamp on the back of each head mold to determine the era in which the doll was made.
There are approximately 247 versions of Ken, from clean-cut sailor to beach bum to Olympic gold medalist. Ken's vintage era is characterized by elegant, boy-next-door attire. His clothing is scaled down perfectly and even includes working buttons and zippers. During Ken's mod era, his clothing became more unique and vibrantly-colored...
In addition to the standard Ken dolls, a few collector Kens have been produced, such as the Wizard of Oz series and Hollywood Legends. The first Ken doll specifically made for collectors was the Hollywood Legends Ken as Rhett Butler in 1994. Dress Box Kens are the most valuable and hard-to-find Ken dolls. They were released between 1963 and '65 and there are 14 different versions in the series.
Business Appointment Ken is also very rare, and was produced from 1966 to '67. This Ken doll wears a navy and white tweed overcoat with black gloves and a black hat, and he is carrying a functional briefcase and a copy of the Mattel Daily News. A Barbie Coca-Cola series was released in 2000, which featured Ken as a server. Only a limited number of these Kens were produced, so they have become rare and highly sought-after by collectors.
Other male dolls have been released and marketed as Ken's friends, such as Brad, Curtis, Derek, and Dude. In addition, many collectors seek Ken's accessories, such as the Ken Hot Rod, released in 1961, and his Corvette and motorcycle, both released in the '80s. The Corvette was only available at Toys 'R' Us and had a limited production, so it is very hard to find.
I always wondered if starting a hobby in my free time was a good idea, and then I remembered Ken. He was a gi… [more]
We have a very small team here at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, so we all have to do lots of d… [more]
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]
The official Mattel archive of vintage Barbie dolls and fashions from 1959 to 1975, with photos and detailed descri… [read review or visit site]
Barbie vinyl collectors, you've come to the right place: Janet Poff's visually stimulating gallery of Barbie vinyl… [read review or visit site]
This site is all Barbie, all fashion from 1959 to 1972. Suzanne Maxwell lays out hundreds of period wardrobe choice… [read review or visit site]
Sandra Cartlidge's colorful tribute to Barbie rival Tressy and her kid sister Toots (Cricket in the U.S.), produced… [read review or visit site]
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]
Rhonda Wilson's collection of 1950s dolls, organized by name (Ginny and friends, Littlest Angel and friends, etc.) … [read review or visit site]
Loretta McKenzie's tribute to the charming, singing, dancing, curly haired Shirley Temple. Click 'My Dolls' on the … [read review or visit site]
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]
Embrace your inner child on this microsite from the Victoria and Albert Museum, filled with high-quality images and… [read review or visit site]
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