John Mowatt asked:


ll be 50 years old in 2009. Wow I wish we all looked that good at 50. Of course she has had plastic surgery over the decades. She has even had a complete body replacement.

Barbie was first made in 1959 by Mattel and millions have been sold all over the globe since then. Barbies official birthday is March 9th 1959 which is when she was shown at the New York toy Fair. She wore a one piece black and white zebra striped swimsuit,high heel open toe shoes,hoop earrings and had white sunglasses with blue lenses. She has blonde or brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and she has strongly arched eyebrows and white irises. She was made from a type of plastic which has faded to white over the years. She has copper tubing in her legs and holes in the feet for mounting on a pedestal. She is marked JAPAN on the bottom of the right foot and on the body she is marked Barbie TM Pats. Pend. Copyright MCMVIII.

If you find one of these dolls in good condition you have a collectors delight which is worth quite a bit of money. The exact value depends on the condition and completeness of the doll. Any missing parts or damage will lower the value substantially. This doll is known as the #1 Ponytail Barbie.

The #2 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #1 except that there is no copper tubing in the legs or holes in the feet. The pedestal was changed and made with extensions to support the doll.

The #3 Ponytail Barbie is the same as #2 but has different eyebrows and blue irises. She may have blue or brown eyeliner makeup.

The #4 Ponytail Barbie is made from a non fading plastic which retains it’s flesh color. She has blue eyeliner makeup.

The #5 Ponytail Barbie had a new hollow plastic body. The earlier dolls were made from solid plastic. The markings are similar with the difference that she is marked R Pats. Pend. rather than TM Pats. Pend. A new hair color was added to the line,known as titian,and dolls with this hair color are scarcer and therefore worth more than the brunette or blonde dolls. Some of these dolls had a problem in the plastic which developed a greasy look with age. If you find a matte faced doll it is worth more than a greasy faced specimen,.

The #6 Ponytail Barbie was made from a new vinyl which does not develop a greasy appearance as it ages. Her lips and fingernails are a pinkish red rather than the previous bright red. She is clad in a red swimsuit and has open toe,red,shoes.

The #7 Ponytail Barbie was made in various different hair colors including brunette, titian,lemon blonde and ash blonde. Nails and lips on this doll are coral red in color. This new edition was brought out in the 1962-1963 period and the markings became Midge TM copyright 1962/Barbie copyright 1958 by Mattel. Dolls with this new marking are often called the #7 Ponytail Barbie but many people still call them #6. Dolls made before the changeover in 1962 are scarcer and more valuable than the new edition.

Condition is undoubtedly the most important factor in putting a value on early Barbie dolls. Collectors want a doll which is clean,completely original and not damaged.Such a doll fetches top price. If the doll is in its original packaging,and in mint condition,it is a highly desirable collectors doll and will fetch a premium price. Dolls which have in any way been repaired,restored or repainted are worth less than those left in the faded original condition.

Where can you expect to find early collectible Barbie dolls? The answer is almost anywhere,if you know what you are looking for. The great majority of the general public have no knowledge of old Barbie dolls,or the fact that they are valuable. You can find old Barbie dolls sometimes by looking in thrift or second hand stores,fleamarkets and garage sales. Be sure to carry a magnifier to read the markings on the Barbie dolls when you are out there searching. Best of Luck.



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John Mowatt asked:


t her start in 1959.Barbie dolls are

Collecting these early Barbies is a fascinating hobby and finds can be made in garage sales,flea markets and second hand stores everywhere.The average person has no idea of what an early Barbie looks like or that it is worth quite a bit. If you want to collect early Barbies carry a magnifier with you. With this you can read the copyright date on the rear.

The dolls’s condition is extremely important.A doll which is complete,undamaged and all original is desirable to collectors.If parts are missing or replaced this downgrades the doll considearbly. Any attempts to paint the doll will destroy much of its value.Better to leave the doll in faded condition as it is worth more than a painted doll. Some early Barbies were made from a plastic which fades to white as it ages. Don’t ever try to restore the original color.

Collectors want premium dolls.These are all original,in excellent condition and in the original box or package.

An old Barbies ears will at times turn green. This is due to corrosion of the earrings and lowers the value of the doll. Limbs can turn brittle with age and break off. The face of the doll is very important.The face should have bright intact paint.The painted fingernails,toenails and lips should be in bright,intact condition. The value of the doll depends on small things like this which collectors look for.

The oldest dolls made from 1959 through early 1960s are of course the hardest to find in good condition. They have been played with for many years often which results in a lot of wear and damage. Hence if you find a really nice doll from this period,which is in exceptional condition, you have something quite scarce which collectors will pay for. You will probably rummage through many boxes of dolls at garage sales and flea markets before you find a 1959 Barbie but they are out there and the thrill of the hunt is all part of the game. Would you like to know where you can find lots of collectible Barbies? Well –



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Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


It’s not everyone who will have a love for Barbie dolls much less have a desire to collect vintage Barbie dolls. Most of the people who collect vintage Barbie dolls are the same women who played with these dolls when they were young, and collectors of such things as dolls.

To the not inconsiderable surprise of many people, vintage Barbie dolls are a huge collector’s item and can fetch a large sum of money in many cases for a well preserved doll. This was well delineated in the recent September 2006 auction of vintage Barbie dolls by a Dutch mother and daughter who had in their collection about 4,000 dolls.

These beautiful vintage Barbie dolls sometimes can start life out as being seasonal gifts or the introduction to a brand new line of dolls. The main items that will separate these Barbie dolls out from the rest of the pack are the looks these dolls have. The modern Barbie doll is dressed in sleek and trendy clothes that you will see on your teenage daughter. Her eyes will have a forward look that is somewhat rounded.

The vintage Barbie dolls on the other hand have an elongated eye shape. This shape is reminiscent of how women in the 40s to 60s period highlighted their eyes. The entire look which you will find in these Barbie dolls portrays a look of an elegant woman. The clothes that you will find being worn by these vintage Barbie dolls is also designed to mimic the clothes which women in those times wore.

You can find these vintage Barbie dolls in ones like that of the Silkstone Barbies. These Barbie dolls are dressed in the height of fashion from that era. Their eyes are also similar to the original Barbie dolls which were made by Mattel in the beginning. You can also find gift sets which have beautiful reproductions of different vintage Barbie dolls.

One of the vintage Barbie dolls that you will be able to buy is that of a Barbie Learns to Cook doll. This doll is part of the Barbie Picnic Set doll. Another Barbie doll that can be found in this vintage set of Barbie dolls is that of Barbie doll that is dressed in a 60s Twist and Turn style. This doll is dressed in the height of fashion from this swinging period.

For many people who collect Barbie dolls these vintage Barbie dolls are great additions to their collection. For these people it does not matter if the dolls are reproduction Barbie vintage dolls or actual dolls from that period. When you look at all of these vintage Barbie dolls you will see many that you will love to have in your collection. Their great clothes and sophisticated air places these vintage Barbie dolls as must have items for all collectors.



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Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


There are many different vintage dolls that can be collected. Of these dolls a vintage Barbie doll is a prize that is looked for by enthusiasts and collectors alike. The vintage Barbie doll is made so that it looks like the early Barbie of the 1950s to the 1960s. While the materials that are used are of the highest safety quality, the style of the doll is to look like the early dolls. In addition to these types of vintage dolls there are ones that have been collected by during this period of time.

Most of the vintage Barbie dolls are Caucasian dolls. They also have the traditional side slanting eyes that were a period feature of the Barbie dolls of that era. The hair of the vintage Barbie dolls are done up in a signature topknot ponytail. The other significant feature that you will find in these dolls is the color of their hair. While most Barbie dolls today have different shades of blonde hair and in varying lengths, the Barbie dolls of yesteryear have only tow colors you can select from.

These are a brunette topknot Barbie doll or a blonde haired Barbie doll. The clothing of the vintage Barbie doll will usually be that of her traditional black and white zebra striped swimsuit. Other dolls from this period of time will have clothes that depict the fashions of those years. Each of these many vintage Barbie dolls is dressed in fabulous clothes. the material which is used are shaped into clothing which is elegant and faithfully follows the styles of the time period on which each of these dolls are based.

While collectors will love to buy a vintage Barbie doll the forty fifth birthday Ken doll is one that is a good collected too. You will find that even though this Ken doll is a reproduction it is still housed in a quality packaging. While you may want to show this vintage Ken off you will need to use a strong support stand as the doll will not stand by itself.

The other thing that you can use with almost all of the vintage Barbie dolls is a booklet. This booklet will show you all of the dolls and accessories which are part of this collection. For the fans of Barbie dolls the vintage Barbie dolls collection is one that should be looked at in order to find the ones you want to have in your collection.



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Gen Wright asked:


buy Polly Pocket dolls because they are attracted to the pretty and extremely attractive designs. They are very colorful, nice to play with, and have pictures of their favorite Disney characters printed on them. But children do not think about value when they play with toys. They want to be stimulated, entertained, and educated by the toys that they play with. They do not care much about how much Polly Pocket dolls cost, and they certainly care more about the stories and characters behind these toys. That’s what makes the world of Disney so fascinating and exciting to children. It’s a fantasy world to them, and the toys allow them to convert some of these fantasies to reality. So if you have a child crying to own a Polly Pocket doll, think about why they want the toy so badly . Sometimes, the happy look on a child’s face is worth more than any amount of money.

But adults buy Polly Pocket dolls for different reasons. And if you are one of those who are surprised to hear that adults actually collect toys, then you really shouldn’t be. Because it’s a fact that millions of adults all over the world collect toys – both men and women alike. Some collect toys as a hobby. Others collect toys for profit. And still others collect toys just because they can afford to own them. But unlike children, when adults buy Polly Pocket dolls, they are more aware of the costs involved. This is especially true for those looking to make a profit, and they are highly sensitive to the prices. After all, their doll collection is really an investment.

So is it really worth investing in new or vintage Polly Pocket dolls? That begs several other questions. First, ask yourself if you have some interest in the dolls. If you really like the dolls, that will urge you to really go find out more and learn more about the toys. Second, do you understand the market really well? Really, who are the customers? And why are they buying Polly Pocket dolls? Will they continue to do so in future? These are questions that must be answered if you are thinking of buying Disney dolls, and looking to sell them of for profit at a later date.

Once you have set your mind to collect Polly Pocket dolls, the next step you should take is to source for bargains, and again, the best place to do so is on auction sites. There are often sellers who sell stuff off simply because they do not want the items anymore. They have no idea how much the dolls are worth, and are just looking to get rid of them. These are the sellers that you want to buy from, because chances are, they are more than happy to part with the dolls for a really low price. And as a collector collecting dolls for profit, your success is directly dependent on how cheap you can acquire the merchandise. If you can find these great bargains, half the battle is won.

If you’re buying a new Polly Pocket doll, apply some common sense and again, think about the resale value of the toy. Is it limited edition? How are the buyers responding to the toy? These factors will certainly affect the resale price of the doll.

Bear in mind that most of the time, you’ll be trading on online auction sites. So it certainly pays to be familiar with how auction sites work. Start by visiting one today.

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charles carrico asked:


Caring For Collectible Doll Items   By Charles Carrico

“Collectible” is an extremely broad term, and can encompass practically anything. People collect some of the strangest things you could imagine. However, one thing that is collected more commonly than anything else is dolls. Dolls make up such a huge percentage of collectibles that they are what people think of first almost all of the time when you mention collectible items. If you collect dolls, or you are thinking about collecting dolls, you should educate yourself as much as possible about them. One of the things you should learn about is how to make sure that your investment doesn’t go to waste. If you care for the doll properly, you can keep it in pristine condition, and possibly sell it at a later date for a profit.

When you purchase the doll, you should not take it home and rip it out of the packaging. If possible, leave the packaging in perfect condition. You will want to take the doll out after you first buy it though, so that you can prepare it for a long shelf life. First, remove any tape from the hair bows that the doll has. If you leave these pieces of tape on, they will leave residue on the fabric that could be devastating to the resale value of your doll. Along these same lines, you should remove anything from the packaging that might cause rust. This includes small pieces of metal that come in the packaging. If rust invades the packaging, the entire thing could be destroyed.

The next steps will depend on how long you plan on keeping the doll. If you go to a hobby store, you can find tissue paper that is meant to be packed in along with the doll. It is known as acid free tissue paper. If you strip the clothes off of the doll and wrap it with this paper before replacing the clothes, the fabric’s integrity will be maintained for a much longer time, and will allow you to keep the doll on a shelf for long lengths of time. Without the tissue paper, dyes from the clothes of the doll could bleed into its “skin”, making it look strangely pigmented to whatever color clothes it is wearing. While clothes can be replaced, the body of the doll is the most important part.

The eyes of the doll are frequently problematic. If the eyes move free, or are the variety that close when horizontal, you should treat them with a special mixture. Get a bit of isopropyl alcohol, and mix it with one half of the amount of water. Lay the doll down horizontally and treat the eyes with the solution. Cover it up with a thin layer of the solution, and then allow it to drain out. Wipe the entire thing down with a cotton cloth, and get it completely dry. Now the eyes will be perfectly clean and free of any pieces of dirt or dust that could have ruined them in the long run. You don’t want your doll coming out of the box with one eye stuck half-shut. Your doll would look perpetually drunk.

Next, the best thing you can do is put the doll on a shelf and forget about it. If you are hoping that the doll will eventually be worth money, you shouldn’t hold your breath. Very rarely do dolls end up being worth money. If you bought it in the first place, it should have been for a personal love and affinity for dolls, rather than any desire to make money. Dolls are not a good investment, and your money would be better spent playing the stock market. But, if you have a passion for dolls then there is nothing wrong with hoping that the price increases over time. And if it does, your doll should be perfectly preserved, thanks to the methods that I have described.



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nikola simanic asked:


Collectible Dolls – Where To Find Them

With the increasing craze of collecting the dolls, a number of places have been popped up till now where one can find them actually to have been multiplied like the rabbits over years.

The 1st place to find the collectible dolls , whether or not you believe, is right at the local toy store. You aren’t going to find those collectibles that are old at these stores but if the doll is brand new and is sure to be the hit or it is of the series that is popular for long time, like the Barbie, you may now be sure that a latest addition to the collection is gonna be at these stores.

Another place to get these collectible is at the place what they call it a specialty store. Stores as these are many over the place. Usually, most of them specialize in the collectible trading cards such as Magic The Gathering, however few even stock some old collectibles or they at least know the place where they can be got. Simply expect to pay the bundle for something bought from one of the stores.

Then the next place is the local newspaper. Always there are people advertising the dolls which they have with them for sale. Usually a newspaper will have some special sections in classifieds called the collectibles. In that section you will find the doll and a number so that you can call that dealer. Many specialty stores even advertise weekly specials in that section so as to make you to visit their store.

Finally, online is the place. Internet is the virtual paradise for the collectibles. The important place that most of the people go to is the Ebay. But utmost care has to be taken when trying to purchase the collectible dolls from the Ebay. Because this one is the auction site and you are not guaranteed the fixed price. Bidding for every doll usually starts very small until and unless the doll’s owner sets the beginning bid very high, particularly if the item is very hot. But with most of the people bidding on an item as this you could end you up spending the fortune on the doll which may worth half as its original price. So be sure to pick some price that you’re not going beyond before you begin your bidding.

Several other sites such as the web sites run privately may be little more reasonable. Price is fixed and in the most cases will be below the book value actually. This is a lure of those sites and they make it look like you are getting some good great deal, which you’re if you’re one of the die hard collectors and would plan to resell that doll down the same road.

There are many other places to find a doll that you desire. Simply make sure that you won’t get taken away to cleaners in process.



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Bonun asked:


Doll is seen as the most favourite toys for children. Both classic and electronic dolls have their own pro and cons. Particularly for animal dolls that has variety of all kind of animal. We have to admit that animal is the first thing that children will knoe for the first stage of learning. A lot of practice and lesson, start from using animal as a symbol like A B C, which always represent in the type of animal. Therefore, children will have first impression and appreciation of animal at the first stage of learning. According to this reason, it is will be very common that they will looking for animal toys and animal dolls have become to their favorite type. However, some children has very much appreciation of animal dolls and they start to collect them as a hobby so we can imagine that they will enjoy of having al kind of them in the collection.

Collecting Animal Dolls Is A Great Hobby

The animal dolls are the dolls, which resembles the structure of the animals. The animals with the specific breeds are inherited in the dolls and it provides an attractive look to the animal dolls. The materials like artificial fur and other synthetic materials make the doll to be realistic. The passion of collecting the dolls will make the children to collect their favorite dolls in the market. The collection of the dolls makes the child to have the pleasure and improves the habit of collecting new things everyday in life.

Types Of Dolls

The dolls that are given to a child at the early stage makes the child to be happy and it takes care of the doll with great efforts. It treats the doll as the pet and provides fun in playing with the doll. The animal dolls make the child to look it as a virtual animal where the child cannot fear about the animals. They can care the animal doll and can start collecting their favorite animal dolls in the market. The other dolls are decorative dolls, baby dolls, and fashion dolls. The collection of dolls differs from each individual and they even learn the method of creating new dolls. However, we may not have no idea that what kind of dolls that will be created and developed in the future, so just to make sure that they will get the most of their favorite.

Collecting The Doll As A Hobby

An independent research reveals that the collection of dolls is considered as the second biggest hobby in the United States. The collection of dolls depends upon the individual and should be collected according to the personal taste. With the advent of the Internet, an individual can purchase a variety of dolls in the Internet and can purchase it from the home. The doll collection is a great hobby for the children and it continues till in the adult stage. It makes the individual to leave from the adult stage and provides the chance of enjoying the childhood again.



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Patrick Bedford asked:


Copyright (c) 2007 WatchesOnNet

Whether youre looking for glamour or a casual timepiece with style, there is a wide array of womens Zenith watches to select from. There are four different collections to choose from and each collection offers a number of variations. There are diamonds, stainless steel, leather and gold within the various watches.

The first womens Zenith collection Ill go over is the Baby Doll collection. There is an astounding 18 watches to choose from just within the Baby Doll collection. One of the unique watches within this collection is the Baby Star Elite, which offers a casual and flashy watch for every situation. It has a simple buckle that allows for an easy access putting it on or taking it off.

There are four different colors you can choose from with the Baby Star Elite; pink, baby blue, silver and white. Whichever color you select, the color of the case coordinates with the color of the dial and the leather strap. The dial is then topped off with a plethora of glistening diamonds.

The next womens Zenith watch collection is not quite as big with only six models to choose from, but is equally unique. One of the models, the El Primero, has a 4021 automatic movement with chronograph, power reserve indicator, an open dial displaying the movement and a heart shaped small second-hands at 9 oclock. You can choose from rose, yellow gold, and a number of different colored steel.

The GlamRock collection offers women the glamorous watches from Zenith. There are eight different models within the collection, each having their own style and flash. A few of the watches have a shiny stainless steel silver bracelet and others have a black calfskin strap. The background of the dial has a number of stars accentuating the style, which is finished off with a large star shaped open dial that shows the escapement movement.

The last womens Zenith collection is the Starissme. There are eight different models within this collection to choose from, all being fairly similar to each other. The unique design on the dial has a star at the 12 oclock spot, and then numbers one through eight. Each number on the dial gets bigger as you go from one to eight, with the eight craftily taking over a majority of the left side. Lastly, a star on the upper left hand side of the dial is open to show the escapement movement.

Each collection of the womens Zenith watches offer something a little different. You will find diamonds, leather, stainless steel and a unique design with every timepiece Zenith offers.



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Jayne Cremasco asked:


The past 25 years have seen tremendous changes in the collectible doll industry. Until that time, collectors only had antique dolls, or newer children’s dolls to add to their collections. As there were relatively few “new collectibles” to purchase, the market on these “played with dolls” and antiques was vibrant and exciting.

There were many doll shows scattered all over the country, and a visit to one would find three types of dolls available, antique dolls, rescued discarded play dolls, and booths featuring doll makers wares. Doll makers were many, with their work ranging from dreadful to stunning.

Flea markets also found doll sellers, usually of the “discarded child doll type”, and many collectors searched regularly for collectible dolls. At the time, dolls being grabbed up were from the Chatty Cathy family, Chrissie and Velvet family, Patti Playpal types , Vogue, and of course Barbie.

With the emergence of the “Ashton Drake Gallery” dolls, followed by many mass produced porcelain dolls by many other companies, all offering limited editions, artist renderings and much media advertising, many collectors changed direction and began to purchase these new dolls.

This new collector market was huge for a number of years. People scrambled to complete sets of dolls and to find dolls by certain doll artists. The market on older vinyl “designed for play dolls” softened considerably during this period.

Home based porcelain doll studios, where you could take classes teaching you how to make your own dolls, also became very popular during this time.

A quarter of a century later, many dolls that were so popular, have now come onto the secondary market. Due to the market being so flooded at the time of production, and so many collectors jumping onto the bandwagon, the secondary market is now flooded with these dolls. The value on many has plummeted as a result, particularly Ashton Drake Dolls.

Other collectible porcelain dolls that were mass produced are for the most part worth only a fraction of what was paid for them initially. The biggest reason for this is the fact that these dolls are still being produced, the quality has improved a great deal, and the prices have gone down. What reason would anyone have for purchasing an older one!

The market on genuine antique dolls continues to be strong, and investments made seem to be sound. As the years pass, it is harder and harder to find antique dolls unless they are coming directly from another collector’s private collection. This keeps the prices high. Unlike modern dolls, there are only so many antiques to go around!



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