In the 1950s a woman named Ruth Handler was visiting Switzerland when she came upon a beautiful doll named Lilli. This doll, modeled after a famous cartoon character, was 7 inches tall, had shoes molded to her feet, and earrings on her ears.

Lilli had a variety of outfits from which to choose. Inspired by the doll, Ruth returned home with the image of a doll in mind. She had already been thinking of creating a 3-D doll based off of paper dolls, and this image of Lilli solidified the idea in her mind. This image would soon be known the world over as Barbie.

In 1958, a patent was obtained for a doll known as “Barbie”, a name inspired by Ruth’s daughter Barbara. By 1959 Barbie hit the toy shelfs of New York. Investors believed the move was risky, as baby dolls were the popular toys of the day.

However, Ruth proved investors wrong. By 1960 Barbie was flying off the shelves; demand so high that Mattel could not keep up. By the end of the 1960s the public had spent $500 million on Barbie, her friends and accessories. Below you find a chronological history of Barbies, where to collect and find the best Barbies, and how to begin a collection that will last a lifetime.

Barbies: The 1960s

Barbie was, and still is, a woman of the times, portraying a picture of women in society. In the 1960s it was very important that Barbie reflect a positive image of women. As such, Barbie was often modeled off of great women in society. In the 60s, Jackie O influenced the look of Barbie with a pill box hat and bob hair cut, until Jackie started to stir controversy.

Also in the 1960s, older girls continued to keep or “collect” Barbies as symbols of what they dreamt to uphold and become. Seeing this trend, Mattel created Barbies geared for older girls. Instead of decking Barbie out in prom dresses, Barbie began to dawn ball gowns and debutante outfits. This was until the 60s took a turn of their own…

As the Beatles became popular and the mood in the nation changed, so did Barbie. Her skirt became shorter; her boots became longer. Now dawning a mini-skirt and go-go boots, Barbie represented a changed nation. Trying her best to become a symbol of fun and not of hippie-like behavior, Barbie continued to evolve with the rest of the country.

It is at this point in time that Barbie’s “newest” feature, the bent leg, appeared. Anyone who has played with a Barbie knows the jerky movement of the legs when they bend, and how unnatural this looks. However, it was the 1960s that spawned this feature and started the “Twist & Turn” Barbie – a Barbie that was more “life-like.”

How to Collect Barbies is from collectibledollstore.net

Here are some things to consider when deciding what antique objects to collect:

Determine the reason for starting the collection

The first consideration you need to think about is your reason for collecting. If you just want to start your own collection for your personal satisfaction then you really don’t have to worry too much about the market value of the objects you will be collecting.

However, if you think of your collection as an investment, you may want to surf the Net or shop around for things that many people consider valuable. If you eventually want to earn money from you collection, you must study and research about antiques on the market.

Consider collecting something you like

Even if you are planning to sell your collection afterwards, you still have to choose something that you are interested in. If you don’t know anything about baseball and you’re not interested in the game, then it won’t be fun collecting baseball memorabilia even if they are hot items on the market. However, if you follow what you like, you won’t regret investing time and money in building up your collection.

If you are still confused or clueless as to what objects to collect, you can probably look back to your childhood. Think about what items you desired or wanted badly when you were a kid. Did you like fancy dolls? Were you an avid airplane fanatic? Did you admire the China and other porcelain items in your grandmother’s cupboard? Did you like to read and love books, newspapers, or comic books? Do you love music and records?

After asking yourself these questions, there is a big chance that you will have an epiphany of what you would like to collect. Antique collecting should be enjoyable as much as it is profitable.

Do your research

Collecting antiques is a very demanding hobby. You need to allocate a significant portion of your time every week or month in studying and collecting data about the objects you want to collect. At first, you can surf the Internet for articles and websites on antique collections. This will give you a rough idea of what you are getting yourself into. Moreover, you may even encounter blogs about other people’s experiences when they were starting out. Such information is very important for novice collectors.

Aside from the Internet, books are good sources of information about this type of hobby. You really don’t have to spend a penny in the beginning. Just visit your local library for materials about the things you’re interested in collecting. You can also look at your local bookshop for possible resource materials.

Another way to do your research is by visiting antique shops, galleries and even flea markets. This will help open your mind to what other things can be collected. Toys, books, jewelry and furniture aren’t the only things that can be collected. Bottles, boxes, posters, photographs, and even cameras and other gadgets are also good antique collectibles.

Aside from researching about what to collect, you should also start studying the world of antiques. You have to know how to detect fakes or reproductions before you start your collection because there are many people who are out there just to defraud others. Moreover, you should also know something about pricing, appraising, and the value of antiques. In the antique world, even identical items may have different prices because there are many factors to consider – cracks, chips, condition, marks or signatures.

Find other collectors

Once you have decided what object to collect, it is advisable to find other people who share the same interest. If you are lucky, you might even find organizations or web-based groups that promote your object of interest. You won’t know about the antique world and market alone. You need the help of other collectors, appraisers and aficionados.

Follow the tips above and you will discover what object to collect and how to start your collection.

Make The Decision To Collect Antiques is from collectibledollstore.net

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.

Collect Barbie Dolls–make Money With Your Hobby is from collectibledollstore.net

Barbie underwent many changes in appearance over the years. The first Barbie had a ponytail hairstyle and wore a zebra striped one piece swimsuit. She was copyright dated 1958 on the back and on the bottom of the right foot was marked Made In Japan. This is the rarest Barbie and if you locate one in really nice condition it is quite valuable.

Vintage Barbie dolls are considered by collectors to be those made between 1959 and 1972. Dolls made after this time are modern dolls in collectors terms. Mattel made special edition dolls in the later years which have their own collector following. To be a real collectors item these later Barbies must be in the original box and in mint condition. There were several series of these which were made in varying quantities.

The Pink Label collectible Barbies were made with no limit to the quantity. The Silver Label dolls were a limited edition of up to 50,000 and were distributed worldwide. Gold Label Barbie dolls were made in an edition of up to 25,000. The top tier is the Platinum Label dolls which were limited to 1000 dolls. These label edition dolls are much sought after by collectors. They must be in mint condition in the original box to have value as a collectors item.

Barbie doll collecting is popular in many countries around the world. Pre 1972 vintage Barbies are the most sought after and many are still to be found in garage sales,flea markets,thrift stores and such like places. Most people know nothing about vintage Barbie dolls or their values. As a result there are lots of them still out there waiting for the right collector to come along and find them. The thrill of the hunt can be almost obsessive and can get an avid collector out of bed to be an early bird at garage sales or flea markets. It’s all worth it when that early Barbie is purchased for a song and carried home triumphantly to join her sisters in a collection.

Collect Barbie Dolls for a Profitable Hobby is from collectibledollstore.net

As their name suggests, all rare collectibles are scarce, hard to find items. They can be antiques that are desirable because of their age, type of craftsmanship or some other unique feature that represents the past. Some rare collectibles are so old that they are considered to be antiquities – artifacts of an ancient civilization such as ancient Greek or ancient Chinese society. Alternatively, rare collectibles can be of very recent origin, sometimes being only a few years old.

The common denominator of all rare collectibles, no matter what their type or age, is rarity. Frequently, because of their scarcity and their appeal, rare collectibles are also valuable. But whether they are valuable or inexpensive, rare collectibles are always important pieces in a collection.

Rare is …

The definition of “rare” or “rarity” changes with the type of object, and accordingly, the definition of “rare collectibles” is somewhat imprecise – there is no strict line of demarcation between what is “rare” and what is “not rare.” In some instances an item is considered to be a rare collectible because only one or two examples of that object are known to exist in the entire world. In other cases, hundreds or even thousands of a particular object may have survived to the present, but because their existence has not yet been discovered (such as very old porcelain dolls that were kept in a trunk that is now buried in an attic) or they are fragile and easily damaged (such as pottery, an early postage stamp or a 200 year-old piece of paper ephemera), high quality examples are considered to be scarce.

Almost Any Type of Object Can Become a Rare Collectible, if Scarce Enough.

Thousands of different types of rare collectibles exist throughout the world. Certain coins and postage stamps, books and manuscripts, pottery, weapons and other militaria, antique tools, original artwork, antique furniture, and paper ephemera can all be rare collectibles. “Paper ephemera” consists of written or printed material that has survived to the present despite the fact that the pieces were originally produced as disposable items, intended to be quickly discarded or destroyed. Examples of ephemera that can be rare collectibles include certain postcards, posters, trade cards, leaflets, exposition programs and advertising flyers, all common enough at the time, but mostly thrown away almost immediately. Some autographs, travel souvenirs and collectible memorabilia are also rare collectibles.

Rare collectibles can be from anywhere in the world and from any culture. Rare Oriental collectibles include small items such as Chinese Dynastic pottery or temple objects, as well as large items such as articles of traditional clothing or armor from the Japanese feudal period. European rare collectibles are equally varied, and range from ancient Greek statuary to the beautifully illuminated (illustrated) maps that were drawn by early cartographers during the Age of Exploration in the 16th Century. Collectible, rare objects from the Americas include certain pieces of Native American (Indian) pottery, blankets or beadwork, original historical documents from Colonial or Revolutionary times, and ancient Inca, Aztec or Maya amulets, pottery and carvings.

Why Collect Rare Collectibles?

Many people seek out rare collectibles because of their inherent value. For these people, rare collectibles are a form of investment. But the primary motivation for many other collectors is the “thrill of the hunt” – that certain sense of satisfaction that is felt when a very hard to find piece is tracked down and finally located somewhere in the world.

Why Collect Rare Collectibles? is from collectibledollstore.net

The first Barbie was made by Mattel in 1959 and since then millions have been sold all over the world. Her official birthday is March 9th 1959 when she was exhibited at the New York Toy Fair. She was dressed in a black and white zebra striped one piece swim suit,open toe high heeled shoes,hoop earrings and white sunglasses with blue lenses. She has blonde or brunette hair in a ponytail at the back. She has white irises and very arched eyebrows. The plastic had a tendency to fade and is usually white now. She has holes in her feet for mounting on a pedestal and copper tubing in the legs. She is marked JAPAN on the bottom of her right foot. On the back she is marked Barbie TM Pats. Pend. Copyright MCMVIII. Find one of these in good shape and you have a collectors dream which they will pay quite a bit of money for. The exact value depends very much on condition and completeness. Damage or missing parts will downgrade your doll severely. She is known as the #1 Ponytail Barbie.

The #2 Ponytail Barbie is identical to #1 with the exception that there are no holes in her feet and no copper tubing. The pedestal is made with extensions to hold her up. She is marked the same as #1.

The #3 Ponytail Barbie is identical to #2 except for blue irises and different eyebrows. This Barbie has either blue or brown eyeliner.

The #4 Ponytail Barbie is made from a type of plastic which does not fade and retains its original flesh color. She is made up with blue eyeliner.

The #5 Ponytail Barbie has a hollow plastic body rather than the solid body of earlier editions. The markings are similar but she is now marked R Pats. Pend. rather than TM Pats. Pend. A new hair color known as titian was introduced and dolls with this color hair are scarce and more valuable than the blonde or brunette. There was a problem with the plastic in some of these dolls which gives them a greasy appearance. If you find one with the original matte face it is more valuable than a “greasy” faced doll.

The #6 Ponytail Barbie has a different vinyl which does not become greasy with time. Her fingernails and lips are a pinkish red instead of the earlier bright red. She is dressed in a red swimsuit and red open toed shoes.

The #7 Barbie was made in several hair colors including ash blonde,lemon blonde,titian and brunette. Her nails and lips are orange red (coral). This changeover took place in the 1962-1963 period and the mark was changed to Midge TM copyright 1962/Barbie copyright 1958 by Mattel. The dolls with this new mark are referred to as the #7 Barbie usually,but some still call them #6. Dolls produced in 1962 before the changeover are scarce and more valuable than the new edition.

In valuing collectible Barbie dolls condition is the all important factor. A doll which is complete,not damaged and clean will fetch a premium price. If the doll is mint in the original packaging it is extremely desirable to collectors and will be priced accordingly. Dolls which have been restored or repainted are worth less than if left in the original faded condition.

Where can you buy old collectible Barbie dolls? Well just about anywhere if you know what to look for. Most people are totally unaware of what an old Barbie doll looks like or that it could be worth quite a bit of money. You can find them occasionally by searching garage sales,flea markets, and thrift or second hand stores. Take your magnifying glass along when you go treasure hunting so that you can read the markings on the dolls. Good luck.

Collect Old Barbie Dolls–a Hobby and Investment is from collectibledollstore.net

What is a doll collection without the most famous and hottest Barbie collectibles? Most female adult collectors of this doll average age is 40. Mattel saw the opportunity for this mature market and in 2004, they launched a labeling system that would help collectors find what they were looking for at a simple glance. The colored labeling system consists of the pink, silver, gold and platinum labels. The Barbie dolls that are labeled pink are mass-produced. The Dolls of the World Series, the Model Barbie dolls, and the Pop Culture dolls are the ones that fall under this category.

The Barbie dolls that have no more than 50,000 in number worldwide are labeled Silver. The Silver label has the following series: The Wedding series, Ballet Barbies, I Dream of a Season Barbie dolls, and Birthday Barbie dolls.

Those that come under the Gold label have no more than 25,000 pieces worldwide. The Designer Fashion Model Barbie dolls, Pin-up girls, Designer Bride, and the Vintage Repros’ all come under this label.

The last and rarest among these labels is the Platinum label where less than 1,000 pieces are produced worldwide. The Faerie Queen, White Chocolate Obsession, and the Nurse Barbie fall under this category.

Other doll collections that may be worthwhile would be the Pre-1930′s antique dolls, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, Terri Lee dolls (1940′s-1950′s), China dolls (which is a sub-category of antique dolls), and the American Girl dolls, dolls that represent countries or regions, German antique dolls and the Mundia collection dolls.

Raggedy Ann and Andy are dolls that look simple and very common yet their price fetches up to $3000 for the rarest pieces! They are hot to most doll collectors because of their designs and variety. Terri Lee dolls are vinyl dolls that come in many designs and the oldest models from circa 40′s or 50′s will easily fetch a doll collector thousands of dollars! China dolls are one of the perennial favorites of doll collectors. China dolls are manufactured in Germany and they come with glazed bisque (which accounts for their glossy appearance). Most china dolls’ faces and hair are painted. And the greatest thing about China dolls is their rarity. Most of them were produced in 1830′s until the late 1890′s.

The 18-inch American Girl dolls remain every American girl’s favorite. Mattel (the makers of Barbie dolls) makes American Girl dolls. Different eras of American girls are represented by these dolls. Mattel makes dolls that represent American girls from the 1940′s until the modern day. And just like Barbie, the color of the dolls can be made to match the owner.

German antique dolls are one of the best in the world. They come next to France in the era of doll making. The French people started making dolls but soon waned at the trade. They passed the craft to Germans and the Germans, in turn, excelled at it. Kewpie dolls are still collectors’ favorites and so are other porcelain dolls.

When it comes to doll making, the French were considered to be the pioneers in this craft. In the early 1800′s, the French doll makers dominated the world of doll making. The Mundia dolls were made by French doll makers. Their most prominent features are their very feminine and luxurious clothes and their clear skin. These porcelain dolls seem to have an unexplainable look that set them apart from all other antique dolls and any modern day doll on the market today.

Dolls constitute a major part of every woman’s childhood. And if she chooses to continue the wonderful imaginations that she has with her childhood dolls, or if she merely wants to please her passion for collecting rare items, it doesn’t matter. Dolls will always be a girl (or a woman’s) constant companion.

Learn To Collect Dolls is from collectibledollstore.net