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. Read more

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)... Read more

Vintage Francie Dolls

Francie was presented to the public in 1966 as Barbie's mod cousin. While Barbie wore sophisticated fashions, Francie wore modern style clothing made with bright colors and patterns.

She was made slightly shorter than Barbie, although not as short as Skipper, leading the public to put Francie at an age between Barbie and Skipper. Francie was the first fashion doll to come with real eyelashes.

Mattel made Francie in many different configurations during the ten years she was on the market. From 1966 to 1968, she was available as a straight leg model and a bendable leg model. Beginning in 1967, she also was made as a Twist n Turn doll.

This model allowed her to twist at the waist. Also in 1967, Francie became the first dark complected doll for Mattel. Black Francie still used the caucasion molds, so she did not have true African American features. (article continued below)... Read more

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!

1960s Vintage Barbie Dream House Commercial

This is the real vintage TV ad from the 1960's for Barbie's new Dream House and Fashion Shop. You can tell it is swell... it's Mattel!

Vintage Skipper Dolls

In 1964 Mattel brought the Skipper doll out. The vintage Skipper dolls were supposed to be about 10 years of age. They were also Barbie's younger sister. Many moms liked the idea of skipper for their daughters who were a bit young for the older Barbie dolls.

This introduction of Skipper came 5 years after the first Barbie was brought out. Just like the Barbie dolls, the Skipper dolls went through many style changes and even an age change. Finally in 2003 Mattel retired Skipper for good.

The Skipper dolls were originally 9.25" in height. There was one version though where you could actually make her grow taller. This version was manufactured in 1975 and was aptly named Growing Up Skipper. With a turn of her arms her height changed and more surprisingly her breasts grew but not everyone was pleased with that idea. (article continued below)... Read more

Vintage Allan Dolls

Allan Sherwood was the first buddy doll created for Ken. The vintage Allan doll first came on the market in 1964. His creation mirrored the creation of Barbie's pal, Midge.

Allan was advertised as Midge's boyfriend as well. Allan has the distinction of being the only one of Ken's friends to be given a last name.

The early versions of this vintage doll usually had red painted hair and brown eyes. Just like Ken, Allan was an 11 ½ " doll with straight arms and legs. One of the advertising hooks was that Allan could wear all the same clothes that Ken wore.

An interesting bit of trivia about the Allan doll is that he was named after Barbara Handler's husband, Allan Segal. (article continues below) Read more

Vintage Midge Dolls

Midge Hadley was introduced as Barbie's best friend in 1963 to counter criticism that Barbie was too mature for a children's doll. Unlike Barbie's sculpted features, Midge's face was fuller and gentler with a sprinkling of freckles across her nose.

Midge's fashionable flipped hair was available in three different colors: brunette, blond and red. There were a small portion of Midge dolls made without freckles and some that showed teeth. These models are extremely rare and very collectible today.

The original Midge had straight arms and legs, and came in a two-piece swimming suit. The color varied depending on the doll's hair color. She was made 11 ½ inches tall, just like Barbie, and a major selling point was the fact that Midge and Barbie could share clothing. (article continues below) Read more

Vintage Barbie Clothes

If you are a Barbie collector, or there is one doll that you would just love to see dressed up to the nines, you will find that there are a number of different places that you should look for some great vintage Barbie outfits.

When you are thinking about finding the best vintage Barbie clothes out there, you will find that you are not alone; there are lots of people who are on the hunt to make their dolls the best-dressed, so keep some of the following tips in mind.

First, think about what you are looking for. Are you looking for a specific set of clothing, or are you looking for something that just looks right? The more specific your goal is, the more you are going to need to look at the specialty stores, though you might find that you can get lucky in other ways. (article continues below)... Read more

How Do I Clean A Vintage Barbie Doll’s Green Ear?

If you collect vintage Barbies with an eye towards getting them back in perfect pristine condition, there is a very good chance that you have run into the condition known as “green ear.”

Green ear describes a discoloration on the ears of Barbie's that have worn metal earrings at some time in the past, staining the plastic and creating an unpleasant looking color. If you are concerned about green ear, it is important to realize that there are methods for removing it safely.

One commonly accepted way to remove green ear is to use a product known as Remove-Zit, though this product should not be used on the mod era dolls as it will bleach the skin to white. To use Remove-Zit, you will be applying a thin coat of it to the area affected with a wooden stick. Read more

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