Vintage Malibu Barbie Dolls

Vintage Malibu Barbie was introduced in 1971. It was available to purchase up until the early eighties and it was one of the cheapest Barbie dolls to own at that time period.

This meant that it quickly gained in popularity and new dolls were introduced into the Malibu range such as Malibu Ken and Sunsational Malibu Barbie.

These days Malibu Barbie is still quite popular after she was reintroduced in the year 2002. However, for many people you cannot beat the vintage Malibu Barbie.

How to Recognize an Original Malibu Barbie

If you are interested in the vintage Malibu Barbie, then it would be a good idea to learn how to recognize it from its more recent predecessor. One way to do this is through the accessories that came with it. (article continues below)...

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Vintage Swirl Ponytail Barbie

In 1964 Barbie hit a new phase of glamor, and it all began with the release of the Swirl Ponytail Barbie doll.

Unlike the first six Ponytail Barbies that had their hair pulled straight back with bangs in the front, this new doll had her bangs combed to the left, resembling a swirl.

Her hair was available in four different colors; Blonde, Brunette, Redhead and Platinum. (The Redhead boxes originally had Titian for the hair color, but was later changed to Redhead.) The dolls all had blue eyes and their eyebrows matched their hair color, but they did come in a variety of different lip shades.

The outfit that she was released in was a red Jersey swimsuit, with pearl stud earrings, red open toe shoes and a yellow ribbon that held her ponytail together. [Continue Reading]

Vintage Fashion Queen Barbie

Imagine if you will being a young girl or a doll lover of any age, when the vintage fashion queen Barbie first made her appearance. Just having the box in your hands made your hair stand on end, all over.

How exciting to hold her in your hands, while gazing in awe and amazement at such a magnificent doll. However, not just any doll and not just any Barbie doll. This was the very first gift set Barbie doll.

The Fashion Queen Barbie appeared in public for the first time, in 1963. Her brown painted hair was molded to her head, and she wore a removable gold and white turban with a matching gold and white swimsuit.

You see the previous editions of Barbie had either a fixed ponytail or a bubble cut hairstyle, which left a lot to be desired in fashionable hairdos. (article continued below)... [Continue Reading]

Vintage Color Magic Barbie Dolls

If you are a collector of Barbies or you are simply looking to get started, you'll find that one of the first dolls that you will find most fascinating is the Vintage Color Magic Barbies.

This is one of the most rare and difficult to find Barbie dolls out there, and it has an impressive reputation as a collectors' item. It was introduced to the market in 1966 and it has the interesting trait of being able to change the colors of some parts of its body.

Along with the doll came two different color change packets that, when mixed with water, created change in the doll's swimsuit and in her hair.

You could make your choice between the doll with black hair that would turn to Ruby Red and of a blond doll that could change to Scarlet Flame hair, though there are reports of dolls that had never been removed from their packaging turning from black to red.

In the package the Vintage Color Magic Barbie would include a diamond print swimsuit, a diamond print headband, a turquoise bobby pin, four hair ribbons, a belt for the swim suit, two color packets along with a sponge applicator, three bobby pins and an instruction booklet.

When looking at the price of these dolls, you will find that they can range from 200 to 400 dollars without the box, and between 800 to 1200 dollars if they are in boxes that have been opened.

It has been speculated that this doll, due to its position as a rarity, would be priceless to a serious collector. It is worth noting that some Vintage Color Magic Barbies have brighter make up, making them more valuable.

If you are going to be searching for a Vintage Color Magic Barbie yourself, you'll find that there are quite a few dolls that look quite similar. To assure yourself that you have the real thing, look for a 1958 stamp on the head rim and the body.

You'll find that it is worth noting this stamp because this line was reissued (albeit, without a color change ability) in 2004. Compare the retail price of 35 dollars for the 2004 and the hundreds of dollars for the Vintage and you can see a difference right away

When you are looking for a Vintage Color Magic Barbie for your collection, just be ready for some competition.

Your best bet is to try to look at retailers online and to see about other secondary retailers. Check out the auction sites and take a look at various different vendors. Though chances are slim, keep an eye out; you never know when you are going to get lucky!

Vintage Ponytail Barbie Dolls

In 1959, Mattel produced the first Barbie with her hair pulled back in a ponytail hence the name Ponytail Barbie.

The Barbie doll had Barbie ™ Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII by Mattel Inc. engraved on every one of them, just to make sure that any imitation could not compromise their business.

Referred to by numbers, there are six different types of vintage ponytail Barbie dolls.

There are avid vintage Ponytail Barbie doll collectors that are keen on the differences among the dolls that are used to identify them, since different Barbie dolls have different values associated with them.

The several different vintage Ponytail Barbie dolls can be identified as follows: (article continued below)... [Continue Reading]

Vintage Bubble Cut Barbie Dolls

Bubble Cut Barbies are the cookie-cutter version of the perfect vintage Barbie doll.

When one envisions a Barbie from the 1960s, then they probably have a vision of the bubble cut Barbie doll. There are numerous versions of this style and each one has different characteristics.

Many assume that all of the bubble cut Barbies are the same, except for their hair and lips. However, this is very far from the truth.

There are at least three different styles of bubble cut Barbies, and they all have different color variations as far as their lips and hair color are concerned. It would take a collector years to find all of the different bubble cut Barbies.

Bubble cut Barbie dolls can be separated into three different time spans: 1961, 1962, and 1963 to 1966. However, there was a certain time overlapping in the terms of factory productions. Mattel was well known for making use of extra heads, limbs, and torsos from previous dolls. (article continues below)...

What Does "Bubble Cut" Mean?

The term "bubble cut" stands for the new hairstyle introduced in the middle of 1961. Much different from the high ponytail that Barbie sported in the 1950s, the bubble cut is a short bob that is very full on the sides. The 1961 bubble cut Barbie was packaged in the original Barbie box, and was changed in 1962 to a new box that illustrated the new bubble cut style.

1961 Bubble Cut

Even though the overall hairstyle of all of the bubble cuts was the same, each year was slightly different. For example, in 1961 it was a very tight hairstyle, as well as having dark red lips and nail polish.

The Barbie also sported the traditional black and white striped strapless swimsuit, with the black heels and earrings. The traditional black sunglasses were not included this time.

One interesting fact is that the vinyl used for the 1961 doll's head has a tendency to sweat just like the ponytail Barbies from 1961, so you will usually find a bubble cut Barbie from this time period with a greasier face.

1962 Bubble Cut

The 1962 bubble cut Barbie came in the newer box, as mentioned above, and she wore a new red "helenca" swimsuit with pearl earrings.

In addition, she donned a pair of red open-toed high heeled pumps, a wire stand for display and a fashion booklet. While most of the 1962 versions have a tight hair style, such as the 1961 version, some have been found with hair that is slightly longer. Instead of only red lipstick and nail polish, the colors vary from deep red to pale pink.

1963-1966 Bubble Cut

The third type of bubble cut is easy to spot due to her large amounts of thick hair, which is not individually styled like the earlier versions.

The dolls were first introduced in 1963 and stopped being produced in 1966. The dolls faces also seem to be slightly "chubbier" than the earlier styles.

The dolls are also marked "Midge/Barbie" on their bottoms due to the fact that this was the year that the Midge doll was introduced, therefore proving that Mattel used the same body parts for different dolls. The 1963 bubble cuts were the only styles to have the Midge word stamped.

Unique Variations and Value

In 1965 there were a few bubble cuts set apart from the rest because of their bright facial paint, such as lighter blue eyes and eye-shadow. You can spot them because of their "crosshatch" woven side-part on the right side of their heads.

The hair below the part line also curls up onto the dolls' right temple. In regards to value, the bubble cut Barbies were produced for years in large quantities. They are still easy to find. Many collectors consider the 1961 bubble cut more valuable due to the fact that it was only made for one year.

Either way, collecting bubble cut Barbies is a great hobby and very fulfilling. You will have a lot of fun trying to locate all of the different styles and finding out their overall value.