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Vintage Barbie Identification |
The
First Mattel Barbie Dolls
from 1959 to 1961 |
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Number 1 & Number 2 Ponytail Barbie |
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There's really no mistaking
Mattel's first Barbie dolls for
any of the others
because of their dramatic cat eyes and
arched eyebrows.
The #1 and #2 Ponytail
are just alike except the
#1 will have holes in the
feet and the #2 will not.
Most likely the doll will
be very pale or even a
ghostly green because the
vinyl that was used to
make the body fades
over time. |
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Issue Date: 1959 Model: 850
Hair
Color:
Blonde/Brunette
(might look strawberry
blonde), flocked
head.
Face:
No iris eye color,
heavy eyeliner,
dramatically arched
blonde or brown
eyebrows and large
red lips (might fade
to reddish-orange).
Body: Heavy solid body
that smells of crayons, faded and pale, small neck knob.
The #1
Barbie has holes in
feet
with copper tubes inserted. The #2
Barbie does not.
Red nails.
Marked:
Barbie™ Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII
by Mattel, Inc.
Accessories sold with
the Barbie doll :
 Black &
White
Swimsuit
Black
Mules
Gold
Hoop
Earrings
White
Sunglasses
Black
Disc
stand with
Prongs
1959
Barbie
Fashion
Booklet
(left - cover
graphic) |
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Number 3 Ponytail Barbie |
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The same faded color
with brown
eye shadow makes
the #3 Ponytail look
rather anemic. But that's what collectors love
-- the brown
shadow is
preferred even though less
were made with blue. It's sometimes
difficult to tell the 3's and 4's apart if the shadow is blue. You have
to rely on the skin color, but it's still confusing because Mattel cross-utilized body parts.
See
this. |
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Issue Date: 1960 Model: 850
Hair
Color: Blonde/Brunette
(might look strawberry
blonde), flocked
head.
Face:
Blue eyes, blonde or brown brows, blue or brown eye shadow, red lips
(might fade to
reddish-orange).
Less dolls painted with blue shadow.
Body: Heavy solid rubbery body that smells like crayons, faded and pale, small neck knob.
Red nails.
Marked: Barbie™ Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII
by Mattel, Inc.
Accessories sold with
the Barbie doll :
Black &
White
Swimsuit
Black
Mules
Gold
Hoop
Earrings
White
Sunglasses
Black
Disc
Stand
with Wire
1959
Barbie
Fashion
Booklet
(left - cover
graphic) |
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Number 4 Ponytail Barbie |
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Originally, the #4
Ponytail looked
much like the #3,
minus the brown eye shadow,
but a new kind of
vinyl
was used on the #4's that
didn't fade like previous
years, so today the dolls
look very different.
The body is
still the heavy solid
body,
and some were
marked "R" during the
transition into 1961.
The head is more
supple and the hair a bit fluffier.
This doll ages well. |
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Issue Date:
1960 Model: 850
Hair
Color:
Blonde/Brunette
(might look strawberry
blonde).
Flocked head.
Face:
Blue eyes, blonde or brown brows, red lips, blue eye shadow only.
Body: Heavy solid rubbery body
that smells like crayons, small neck knob.
Red nails.
Marked: Barbie™ Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII by Mattel, Inc.
or
Barbie® Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII
by Mattel, Inc.
Accessories sold with
the Barbie doll :
Black &
White
Swimsuit
Black
Mules
Gold
Hoop or Pearl
Earrings
White
Sunglasses
Black
Disc
Stand
with Wire or Black
Wire Stand
1959
Barbie
Fashion
Booklet
(left - cover
graphic) |
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Number 5 Ponytail Barbie |
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The #5 Ponytail's had
a new
hollow body and poodle curls gone in favor of
big coarse curls. The
#5's are plagued with problems.
Often, the new plastic "sweats"
and
makes the face look
greasy, the head
darkens and/or leg stance is
splayed. But they
are blessed with big
luscious red lips and
are a challenge for
collectors to find in
good condition
without these
problems. |
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Issue Date:
1961 Model: 850
Hair
Color:
Blonde/Brunette/Titian. Big coarse curls.
No flocking.
Face:
Blue eyes, light
blonde, brown or
reddish brows, blue
eye shadow and red
lips. Sometimes
the doll has a
greasy-looking face.
Body:
Hollow torso, small neck knob.
Red nails. Often leg stance is
splayed.
Marked: Barbie® Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII
by Mattel, Inc.
Accessories sold with
the Barbie doll :
 Black &
White
Swimsuit
Black
Mules
Pearl
Earrings
Optional White
Sunglasses
Black
Wire Stand
1961 B&K Fashion
Booklet (left - cover
graphic) |
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Number 1 Bubble Cut
Barbie |
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A new Barbie with a bouffant
hairdo! The first
Bubbles are very
distinct from the
others. They
had tight, short bubbles,
the big red lips and, unfortunately,
they still
have the same
problems as the #5's:
greasy and/or
darkened face and
splayed stance.
The rare 1961 Bubbles
are the white ginger
and the brownette.
Krista of "Doll
Restoration"
describes
1961 White Gingers. |
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Issue Date:
1961 Model: 850
Hair
Color: Brunette, Titian,
shades of Blonde and
the rare colors: white
ginger and brown sable aka
brownette (see middle photos
below).
Face: Blue eyes, blonde, brown or reddish brows, blue shadow and red lips. Gingers have pink lips, turquoise eyes and green-blue
eye shadow.
Body:
Hllow torso, small neck knob.
Red nails. Often leg stance is
splayed.
Marked: Barbie® Pats. Pend. ©MCMLVIII
by Mattel, Inc.
Accessories sold with
the Barbie doll :
Black &
White
Swimsuit
Black
Mules
Pearl
Earrings
Optional White
Sunglasses
Black
Wire Stand
1961 B&K Fashion Booklet
(left - cover
graphic) |
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Number 1
Flocked Ken |
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The first issue Ken
dolls had
"lifelike" flocked hair, so you will have no trouble distinguishing
them from later painted-hair Kens. Many Kens have lost their flocking. Some Kens
have greasy faces and
faded body color like Barbie. The rare Kens: J.C. Penney sold a flocked Ken with
light brown hair (see below and
with his red towel
here) and some Ken dolls
have painted legs. |
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Issue Date:
1961 Model: 750
Hair
Color: Blonde/Brunette. A rare Ken doll issued by J.C. Penney had light brown hair (see
photo below).
Face: Blue eyes, brown or reddish brows, mauve lips.
Body:
Hollow plastic torso. Some
early Ken dolls have painted legs. Some bodies fade to ivory or ghostly green like early ponytails
do and some have "greasy" faces
like the #5 Ponytails.
Marked:
Ken™ Pats. Pend. ©MCMLX
by Mattel, Inc
Accessories sold with
the Ken doll :
Red
Trunks or Red
with White Stripe
Red and White Striped
Jacket
Red Cork
Sandals
Optional
Yellow Towel
Black
Wire Stand
1961 B&K
Fashion Booklet (left
- cover graphic) |
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