Archive for the ‘vintage Barbie dolls’ Category

You’re Never Too Old to Start a Doll Collection

by Sandy | No Comments | Filed in Doll Collecting, vintage Barbie dolls

No matter what type of dolls you collect, there is probably at least one special doll that you remember from your childhood.  Perhaps it was the doll that got you started in collecting.  Maybe it was an "untouchable" doll at a relative's house that you just stared at and wished that you owned.  Most collectors have some especially memorable doll that is close to their hearts.


Unfortunately, a lot of us either loved those dolls so hard that they ended up looking a bit beat up or we may have gone through a phase where we thought we were simply too grown up for such "babyish" things.  When one of my cousins visits, she will always stop to check out my dolls.  For years she never failed to mention how much she regrets giving all of her dolls away when she went away to college.  Actually, she sold them at a garage sale.  She was quite a Barbie collector in the 1960s, and she realizes that beyond the memories, she also sold off some very collectible dolls at a pittance.

I have been telling my cousin for a few years that she could always start rebuilding her collection again.  She has always put it off for one reason or another and eventually, I just put it out of my mind.  She finally broke down and bought herself a Bubble Cut Barbie last month as a start to her collection.  You wouldn't believe the excitement bubbling out of her as she showed it to me.  It was just one doll, but it is lovely and it is a start to a new beginning of her collection.

Now, when she visits, she no longer looks sad or depressed about what she lost.  She seems to have almost magically gotten over her previous mistake and she talks about what her next doll purchase will be.  Now that she is older, she is sticking with Barbies but she is going the route of saving up, researching and buying the best that she can afford.  It may take her a while to get back to what she once had, but I have little doubt that she'll get there and enjoy the trip the whole way through.

If you have been putting off or ignoring a collection for a while, there is no reason you can't start right in or get back into the action.  Collecting dolls is a fun hobby whether you enjoy one particular type of doll or just the thrill of the hunt.  Collecting now is easier than ever with dolls available right on your computer.  Go browsing a bit and see if anything catches your eye.  You might end up having a lot of fun!

gimme babay.
Creative Commons License photo credit: ThouArt.

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Bubble Cut Barbie

by Sandy | No Comments | Filed in Vintage Dolls, vintage Barbie dolls

The Bubble Cut Barbie was a Barbie doll that reflected the popular hairstyles of the 1960s. 


The bouffant hairdo worn by the 11.5 inch Barbie was available between the years of 1961 and 1967.  During this time, Barbie fans could still purchase Swirl Barbie and Ponytail Barbie but many thousands of Bubble Cuts were bought up and collected while they were available.

Here are a few Bubble Cut Tidbits for you:

  • The Bubble Cut Barbies were produced in large numbers and with a wide variety of different lips colors and shades of hair.  This variety makes them an interesting choice for collectors because the same basic doll has so many different looks.
  • Production Bubble Cut Barbies were constructed with arms and legs that were not designed to bend.
  • The dolls produced during the first year of production seem to have still been getting some kinks ironed out.  The plastic used gave them an oily looking complexion and this was corrected in later Bubble Cut dolls.
  • After 1961 Bubble Cut dolls also go bigger hair and larger heads.  It's hard work being beautiful.

Not all Bubble Cut Barbie Dolls are created equal.  There are some models worth more to collectors than others.  This is due mostly to the scarcity of the particular dolls.  One popular, but hard to find model is the bubble cut with a side part in her hair.  This is not a style accomplished by just brushing the hair over.  The part was actually stitched in to the dolls' scalps.

Another distinction between bubbles that can affect their value is their coloration.  Bubbles with nearly white lips are a much sought after prize.  These lips are found on "White Ginger Bubbles".  The hair on these models is a very pale shade of blonde.  These come up from time to time on eBay.  One recently sold for exactly $100 in very good condition.
2 Vtg Barbie Midge Queen Bubble Cut Doll 1962 1958
2 Vtg Barbie Midge Queen Bubble Cut Doll 1962 1958
Paypal   US $31.00 		1962 BLONDE BUBBLE CUT BARBIE WITH LETS DANCE OUTFIT
1962 BLONDE BUBBLE CUT BARBIE WITH LETS DANCE OUTFIT
Paypal   US $14.15 		VINTAGE BARBIE MIDGE 1963 BROWNETTE BUBBLE CUT HAIR
VINTAGE BARBIE MIDGE 1963 BROWNETTE BUBBLE CUT HAIR
Paypal   US $9.99
MINT PLATINUM BLOND BUBBLE CUT BARBIE VINTAGE Repro
MINT PLATINUM BLOND BUBBLE CUT BARBIE VINTAGE Repro
Paypal   US $18.99 		Vintage 1962 Bubble Cut Barbie Rose Glitter Satin
Vintage 1962 Bubble Cut Barbie Rose Glitter Satin
Paypal   US $9.99 		2 1960s Barbie Bubble Cut Heads
2 1960s Barbie Bubble Cut Heads
Paypal   US $7.59
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As I mentioned, the prices can show a decent bit of variation.  One good thing about eBay is that sometimes you will see dolls slip through at lower than expected prices either due to poor timing on the part of the seller or because it just so happens that the right buyers didn't happen to notice a doll.  A mint bubble cut doll, still in her box, might bring over $300.  If you are looking for dolls that can stand a little bit of work, you probably won't have to go over one hundred.  The middle ground would be the dolls in nice shape but not mint in box.

A check of recent Bubble Cuts sold on eBay showed a high end price of $399 for a 1961 Titian Bubblecut Barbie #850.  It was in outstanding condition with all of its accessories and the original box.  It by far was the most expensive bubble sold recently when I checked.  Most others that were in very good to excellent condition sold for between $100 and $200 on the site.

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Barbie Accessories

by Sandy | No Comments | Filed in Doll Collecting, vintage Barbie dolls

If you collect vintage Barbie, you may or may not realize how much collectible value her accessories also have. 


There has been a lot of growth in the collecting of barbie accessories and some of the individual items can bring a pretty penny at auction.  Of course if you are selling, this is good news.  If you are buying though, you may be seeing some competition.
Vintage Barbie SKIPPER SHIP AHOY 1918 Complete
Vintage Barbie SKIPPER SHIP AHOY 1918 Complete
Paypal   US $41.00 		Vintage 1960s BARBIE KEN ASSESORIES LOT
Vintage 1960s BARBIE KEN ASSESORIES LOT
Paypal   US $22.12 		1960 BARBIE 977 SILKEN FLAME OUTFIT VERY NICE
1960 BARBIE 977 SILKEN FLAME OUTFIT VERY NICE
Paypal   US $14.96
1960 BARBIE 983 ENCHANTED EVENING W DIAMOND ACCENTS
1960 BARBIE 983 ENCHANTED EVENING W DIAMOND ACCENTS
Paypal   US $39.98 		1961 BARBIE 991 REGISTERED NURSE OUTFIT EXCELLENT
1961 BARBIE 991 REGISTERED NURSE OUTFIT EXCELLENT
Paypal   US $34.01 		1962 BARBIE 933 MOVIE DATE OUTFIT VERY NICE
1962 BARBIE 933 MOVIE DATE OUTFIT VERY NICE
Paypal   US $15.46
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Most people reading this are probably buyers, so I will share a bit of advice that may help you to find some of the better deals on Barbie and her accessories.  These tips are for finding Barbie accessories or anything really, on eBay.  They help you to take advantage of the fact that many of the people selling on the site are not professional sellers and they might not know how to get the best possible prices for what they are putting up for auction.  If you are a seller on eBay, you should also pay attention to these tips because you might be setting yourself up to get less than you expect for your items.

  • Watch for misspelled words in auction listings.  Think of every possible misspelling that you can for the item you are looking for on eBay.  As an example, I'll use the phrase "Barbie Accessories".  That particular search brought back over 900 results, and most likely, every one of those listings will be carefully checked out by Barbie fans.  When I put in a common misspelling like "Barbie accesories", I get back only 31 results.  But guess what?  NONE of those are going to show up when people come looking to buy "accessories" for their dolls!  Which auctions do you think will have more competition?   You can use this technique with any particular Barbie accessory you are looking for online.  Actually, you could use it for any item, not just Barbie gear!
  • Be willing to shop at an unusual time on eBay.  There are some people who go to work, but still want to get something listed on eBay.  Sometimes, they decide to list their item at whatever time is convenient for them to get on the computer.  This might be seven in the morning or eleven at night on a Monday.  Most experienced sellers won't do this, but newer or infrequent sellers often make this mistake, not realizing that the default is for their auction to end exactly seven days, to the minute, from when they listed their merchandise.  Once again, do you think there will be as many people bidding on an item at 7:30 a.m. as there would be at a time like Sunday evening around 9:00?  Your goal is to use the advanced search tools available on any search screen, to search for what you want ending at some strange time like this.  Now that eBay has made sellers pay more to get their items seen in other countries, this should be even more helpful for people basing their shopping on U.S. time zones.
  • Don't forget to check out "lots" of merchandise.  There are many sellers who really don't know a whole bunch about what they are selling.  They may have found some old Barbie dolls or accessories stashed away in an attic or at a yard sale and they just want to sell it quickly without researching which individual pieces might be worth more than the others.  This can be a bonanza time for Barbie collectors or collectors of any doll.  Because the doll clothes and doll accessories are relatively small, many people really don't want to be bothered with handling each individual tiny piece.  It all ends up going in to lots.  When you see a listing that says something like "Barbie accessories lot", take a close look and ask questions of the buyer.  You may find that it is a mix of items from a couple of generations of Barbie collecting within the same family.  If Mom tossed all of her old accessories in with her daughter's stuff, you might find some real gems hidden in the mix.

This is just a short list of tips I've used to find great deals on Barbie accessories (and other eBay items) in the past.  I'll share more as we go along.  I hope these help you find something you have been looking for at a price you like!

Here is a video I found on YouTube about Barbie accessories that you might enjoy...

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The Vintage Barbie Doll

by Sandy | Comments Off | Filed in Vintage Dolls, vintage Barbie dolls

People who collect vintage dolls often specialize in one type of doll or another. 


One of the more popular dolls collected today is the vintage Barbie doll.  Honestly, vintage Barbie dolls have a very strong following of extremely savvy collectors who really know there stuff.   There are quite a few very detailed guides available for serious Barbie collectors who wish to know the exact value of the dolls they own.  These guides are a wise investment for serious collectors as they will include very specific information such as mold numbers and trademark clues that will help to identify a particular vintage Barbie doll that you have in your collection.
VINTAGE BARBIE FASHION QUEEN DOLL W WIGS OUTFIT
VINTAGE BARBIE FASHION QUEEN DOLL W WIGS OUTFIT
Paypal   US $24.99 		VINTAGE 1962 MATTEL MIDGE BARBIE DOLL WITH CLOTHING
VINTAGE 1962 MATTEL MIDGE BARBIE DOLL WITH CLOTHING
Paypal   US $27.99 		Pretty Brunette 4 Vintage Barbie Doll W Original SS
Pretty Brunette 4 Vintage Barbie Doll W Original SS
Paypal   US $128.50
Vintage BARBIE DOLL Flower Dress ON THE GO
Vintage BARBIE DOLL Flower Dress ON THE GO
Paypal   US $21.55 		4 vintage barbie dolls case book skipper TNT Trunk NR
4 vintage barbie dolls case book skipper TNT Trunk NR
Paypal   US $49.99 		Vintage Belts for Barbie and Other Dolls No Reserve
Vintage Belts for Barbie and Other Dolls No Reserve
Paypal   US $28.00
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To truly be considered vintage, Barbie dolls must be from between the years 1959 and 1972.  Other special "collectible" editions of Barbie were released by Mattel later than that, but they are their own story and I may write more about them later.

Prices for the very early Barbie dolls can get quite high.  Values can exceed ten thousand dollars in some cases.  The value of each doll will depend on factors such as the model itself, its condition, and whether or not any type of restoration work has been done to the doll.  If restoration has occurred, the quality of the restoration becomes very important.  The techniques and materials used during the restoration process should be true to the era from which the doll originally came.  The value of a Barbie doll can drop significantly if it has been restored improperly or by inferior means.  There are many Barbie doll collectors who do not want anything to do with restored dolls.  They prefer to pay the extra money required to obtain only original, undamaged Barbies (preferably with the original packing).  Certainly, if you are considering the purchase of a vintage Barbie doll as an investment or as an expensive addition to your collection, you should ask the seller for as many details as possible about the dolls history.  A quality seller of vintage dolls or any antique or vintage merchandise will feel obligated to mention any restoration that may have occurred, but you should still ask if it has not been mentioned specifically in the listing for the item.

Often, the original packing material for a vintage Barbie doll will be long gone by the time a collector is considering its purchase.  If you do happen upon a truly vintage Barbie doll still in its original package, you should be prepared to pay a premium price to own it.  Do some investigative work before bidding on one of these items and be sure that the seller is knowledgeable about the doll they are offering for sale.  Specifically ask the seller if this is an original or if it is a replica Barbie released to commemorate an earlier addition.

Probably the most rare vintage Barbie doll available is the original 1959 doll wearing a black and white swimming suit.  You can take a look at one of those if your travels ever take you near the Smithsonian.  They are very rare but it is possible that you will find one selling at someone's garage sale (you never know!).  There are still quite a few vintage Barbies floating around out there in peoples attics and basements waiting to be discovered by collectors.

Collecting vintage Barbies can look like a hardcore business at times, but it should be fun first of all.  Serious collectors also find themselves playing the part of serious investors at times, so caveat emptor (buyer beware) certainly applies.  Do some research and enjoy yourself as you build your collection of vintage Barbie dolls!

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