Barbie & ken













Barbie & ken

Barbie & ken











barbie is the most successful doll ever madeA generation of little girls abandoned their baby dolls for Barbie's fashion-conscious look and wardrobe of 'must- have' clothes. She has now turned 50, and has her own website and publications, and admirers of all ag
Barbie & ken
 




Launched in 1959, Barbie was the first teenage doll. She evolved from a nubile German cartoon character, Lilli, who was unsuccessfully launched as a doll in 1955. 








Her American maker Mattel has issued many Barbies each year since then - plus accessories, as well as family and friends, including her boyfriend Ken, first launched in 1961.





Barbie & ken





The most prized Barbies are those from 1959-72, especially examples from the 'ponytail' era (1959-66). Special limited-edition dolls (fewer than 35,000) are alsodesirable, as are early 1960s gift sets, 









Barbies and Kens with bendable legs (made in 1965-67), and fashion model' Barbies, dressed in couture clothing (these must have their original labels).








 Also sought after are accessories such as Barbie's Dream Kitchen and Dinette and her tiny necklaces, shoes, and tiaras. Red-haired Barbies, introduced in 1961, are rare and desirable.



Barbie & ken
Condition is crucial: a mint- condition doll, costume, or set of accessories in an unopened box will be worth two to four times more than one without its box. Standard 'pink box' Barbies are rarely a good investment: go for limited editions instead.









 
Barbie & ken Collectors' Tips
  • Check the Barbie mark, usually on the buttock but occasionally on the shoulder
  • Barbie's friends and family - including Ken, Midge, and Scooter - are less valuable but rarer and their
     values could rise.

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