Trichelle the photographer

Trichelle from the Barbie So in Style collection was cast as an artist.

But the art school accessories didn't just include paints and an easel. She also had a very serious looking professional camera.

I've had her on display before, but not recently. She'll be the next doll on my desk.

Barbie Basics: Decisions, decisions

I have been admiring the second run of the Barbie Basics dolls. They are the perfect dolls for adult collectors such as myself who enjoy realistic details instead of, shall we say "pink box" dolls.

I've narrowed the choice down to two.

The one on the left looks as close to me as a Barbie doll can be. She has brown hair with highlights (I admit my brown hair has gray streaks!) and the haircut is pretty much the style I wear now. Just put some glasses on her and she can be cast as Paula.

The blonde girl is a surprising choice for me. I shy away from the blondes. They are so, well, so stereotypical Barbie.

But this one kind of "clicks" with me. I'm even thinking about what her hair might look like if it was styled differently.

The dolls are $20 each at the Wal-Mart in Monroe, Mich. I don't plan to buy both at once. I've already spent a good chunk of money on doll clothes this month.

So I'm trying to decide which one I want first, and which one will wait for later. (Maybe I'll get lucky and find a clearance sale on the second doll!)

Midge wearing a My Design outfit

This is an example of the fact that I don't necessarily keep the original outfit with the original doll. I do try, however, to keep as many of the pieces of the outfit together.

This is a bathing suit Midge doll that I bought in the late 1990s.

She is wearing a special edition outfit that was also sold during the late 1990s from the My Design Friend of Barbie collection.

My Design hasn't been available for several years, but it was fun. You could go on the web site and design a doll from a variety of features, skin color and hair color.

You had to wait for the doll to be shipped and it was a little pricey, which is why I ordered only one for myself and one for my daughter. When I did My Design, I ordered a doll with short brown hair.

You could also download and save the jpg image as if you had made a paper doll. The collection of "paper doll" images I had saved in my computer files helped me ID this outfit, by the way!

When my international dolls visited the library

This is a picture of some of my Barbie Dolls of the World when they were on display during September 1998 at Ida Rupp Public Libray in Port Clinton, Ohio. 

The card on the bottom shelf features the logo from my web site, and says “Find us on the Internet” with the web addresses for Barbie Collectibles and what was then my Barbie fan page.

Why Barbie dolls were considered "expensive" back in the day

I've had some queries from the social club members in Monroe, Mich., to talk about my Barbie doll collection. I did start writing a script, although the event it was written for got canceled and I had a schedule conflict for another requested date.

That being said, I saved the presentation draft on my computer and will update it / rework it as needed. I was reminded of some interesting details while reviewing my reference books, particularly on the cost of the dolls. Here's the snippet from my program on that topic:
 

The first dolls we know as Barbie were made at a factory in Japan. They were introduced at the 1959 International American Toy Fair in New York. Barbie’s birthday is considered to be March 9, 1959, in honor of her debut at the toy show.

No one had seen anything like this in America. Some people in the toy business liked it, some didn’t. Some parents liked it, some didn’t.

The earliest fashions were as detailed as if they were made for a real person. They were typically hand-stitched and made of the best fabrics available. The earliest styles included a two-piece suit called “commuter set” that cost $2.50 and a wedding dress set for $5. Now keep in mind that the doll herself cost $3.

This actually was a very expensive toy at the time. When I compared common household prices from the late 1950s to today’s prices, it’s pretty clear that a Barbie doll in 1959 would cost the equivalent of $30 today. And that wedding dress set would cost $50 today. (For comparison ... look at this chart that was on a 1960 year in review history page I bought at a scrapbook shop several years ago. Median family income then was $5,620 ... median family income in 2009 in Monroe, Mich., was about $52,000, etc..)

Did you wonder why the grownups in your family who would were little girls during the 1960s had so many handmade doll clothes in their collection? That’s why. Any mom or grandma who had a sewing machine, as many women did back then, could make adorable outfits for Barbie and her friends for a lot cheaper than the outfits that were sold in stores.

Why was the doll so expensive? You can get a bathing suit Barbie doll for only $5 now.

Here’s my guess: the creation and manufacture of Barbie was a trial and error process.

For example, very first Barbie dolls had holes in their feet in hopes that a doll stand could hold her up that way. But that idea didn’t work out, and the holes in the bottom of a Barbie’s feet were quickly dropped. You’ll find that the easiest way to get Barbie to stand is with a stand that wraps around her waist, although there are stands for some dolls that go between her legs or grab one leg.

The earliest dolls also were made of solid vinyl. So they were much heavier in weight than today’s dolls, which are hollow inside.

Here is another problem that took years to notice: the older dolls who were given metal earrings often get green discoloration around the ears because the earrings reacted funny over time with the doll’s body. Doll collectors who have tried to erase the green stain say it’s difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove.

And the Talking Barbie produced in 1967 has been known to break even if never removed from box because of the problems in trying to squeeze the talking mechanics into the doll.

So as you look at today’s Barbie on the toy shelves or play with them, be aware that you are enjoying more than 50 years of Mattel learning not only what appeals to little girls, but also how the doll can hold up to many hours of play time. ...

How to start collecting from Barbie Collectors Guild

The Barbie Collectors Guild has a great piece on its web site called How to start collecting.

Barbie Collector summer 2011 catalog

The Barbie Collector summer 2011 catalog arrived in my mailbox today.

I am impressed with the artistry of the Goddess of the Galaxy doll, but I do not like it enough to buy it. I do not have the proper space to display something this out of the norm of my usual doll collection.

That doll also costs $100, and my personal rule is I most ADORE any doll that costs more than $25 if I'm going to acquire it.

Other new releases featured include Farrah Fawcett doll, the Pirates of the Caribbean duo and the Museum Collection series.

The Harvey satchels and totes are pretty but that's beyond my budget.

The Sun Kissed Doll accessories are far more budget-friendly.

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