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Barbie dolls

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Telynor
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Barbie dolls

Post by Telynor » Thu December 30th, 2010, 12:52 am

[quote=""Michy""]I have a fairly large set of Noritake china from the 1920s. I don't have it out on display (my curious are filled with my doll collection :) ) but in my new house I have, for the first time, enough cupboard space to at least have the dishes out of boxes![/quote]

Well, shall we get to hear of the doll collection? :D

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Michy
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Post by Michy » Thu December 30th, 2010, 1:46 am

They're Barbie dolls. :o I've always loved Barbie dolls -- I think due in large part to being raised as an only child in lonely, remote places; as a result I was pretty attached to my dolls when I was young. Unfortunately, my own Barbie dolls are not display-worthy, having been too thoroughly played with.

It was my friends who got me started collecting back in the late '90s. When my girlfriends would go to toy stores to shop for their nieces and nephews, I would always head for the Barbie aisle and tell them to come get me when they were ready to go. So finally, one year for Christmas they decided to get me something that would appeal to both my love of Barbie and my love of GWTW -- they got me one of the series of Scarlett O'Hara Barbies (the one of Scarlett in the green drapery dress). That started me down the slippery slope. :)

I don't collect vintage Barbie dolls because they are way too expensive; I collect the new ones made by Mattel specifically for adult collectors. I collected from the late '90s until about the mid-2000s, so I got in at the tail end of when Mattel was making nice collectible Barbie dolls. I haven't bought one in probably at least 5 years, since I don't like the dolls they're coming out with anymore. And besides, I've got two curios full, so that's enough, I guess. :)

I've got about 40 dolls, which doesn't make me all that serious as Barbie collectors go. But I have some beautiful ones -- including several porcelain ones and a Bob Mackie -- so I'm happy.

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Thu December 30th, 2010, 2:39 am

Had to start a new thread for this! I collect Barbies too, though I prefer vintage--i.e., the ones from my own childhood. Some unknown person, whom I hope is frying in hell, stole my old Barbies from my parents' house a couple of decades ago, but I've acquired a fairly good collection, though I don't have the most expensive ones. I haven't added to it in a while because I've been spending my extra money on books.

Ken from the early 1960's is sitting in his striped pajamas looking at me as I type this, but most of mine are packed away in cases (I collect vintage cases too). Maybe after my daughter leaves for college I'll turn her bedroom into an office/Barbie room.

I don't really like the new Barbies either. Too many blondes, for one thing, and I hate the new molds! I did buy a few of the Lingerie Barbies.

I'll try to post pix of some of mine tonight. My oldest is a ponytail #3. The only reason I could afford her is that she has a missing neck knob--the owner's father rigged up a replacement with a Popsicle stick.
Susan Higginbotham
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Thu December 30th, 2010, 2:41 am

I didn't have the collection of Barbies per se, but oh the clothes I had for mine hand made by grandma. Unfortunately, there was a lot of stuff mom didn't want to haul back from Hawaii in the late 60's and those were some of it :mad:

I do still have a few other dolls grandma dressed (she would buy the dolls unclothes and make her own stuff), along with some lovely dolls she made from clothespins. All the way down to the drawers and petticoats.
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Ash
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Post by Ash » Thu December 30th, 2010, 3:15 am

My husband actually has a Barbie collection, but its not what you think - he loves sci fi and comic heros so along with other memoribilia he has the barbie and ken xfiles, barbie and ken star trek, barbie catwoman and wonder woman and super girl, plus the barbie dolls for the girls in Scooby Doo, and many others. I tease him because he also has a large gi joe collection and he should set up some dating scenarios among his various figures...

I had one Barbie, with the pink convertible, and I think one set of clothes. My friends had much more than me, but I was the only one with the car, so it worked. Still, she was never my favorite doll and I got rid of her early on.

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Thu December 30th, 2010, 3:34 am

I had only two or three Kens, so my Barbies kept having to trade him around. It got pretty kinky.

Here are some of mine from the 1960's and 1970's:

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Susan Higginbotham
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Post by boswellbaxter » Thu December 30th, 2010, 3:34 am

Image">
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


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http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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Post by boswellbaxter » Thu December 30th, 2010, 3:37 am

Image">
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Thu December 30th, 2010, 3:38 am

Image">
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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Michy
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Post by Michy » Thu December 30th, 2010, 6:11 am

Since you collect vintage then you know different "eras" and "models" of Barbies are more prized and valuable than others. My very first dolls were from the late '60s -- the Living Barbie and another one (I can't quite recall what they're called, color-something) -- which are pretty highly prized today. Unfortunately, every Barbie I owned was burned to a crisp in an automobile fire when I was 5. The Barbies I acquired after that (and the ones I still have) are from the early '70s which is an era that isn't prized by collectors (unless things have changed, I don't keep up with it anymore), since that is when Mattel was going through financial difficulties and the quality of the dolls and clothes was far lower -- such as the Malibu dolls with the tanned skin. Of course, my dolls are worth nothing, anyway, because they're in such un-pristine condition. :) But their sentimental value is priceless, of course. Especially my Malibu Barbie -- that is the first one I got after the fire, my beloved grandma bought it for me because I was on my way to see her when the car caught on fire and she felt sorry for me without my dolls! Somewhere along the way I acquired a much older Barbie doll -- a #3, I think. I don't know where I got her, since she is before my time. She's in pretty good shape, too.

And some of those vintage outfits are really, really pricey, too, especially if they're in mint condition.

I see you posted some photos on the other thread --I'm dying to see them, but I'll have to wait until I'm at work tomorrow! I have a Mac computer at home, and for some reason some pictures don't come through on it -- all I get are little blue boxes with question marks. :(

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