Saturday, February 17, 2018

2 dolls on etsy

I placed two dolls for sale on etsy two weeks ago.  They are both not removed from box, but there is box wear.  Here they are:
1997 Galoob Together in Paris Anya
https://www.etsy.com/listing/591358353/galoob-1997-together-in-paris-anastasia?ref=shop_home_active_6
1997 Galoob Czar Nicholas
https://www.etsy.com/listing/591463107/galoob-1997-czar-nicholas-ii-anastasia?ref=pr_shop

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Valentine-themed Barbie clothing not as common as you think

Bend leg Skipper in #1945 Hearts N Flowers
and Cool Tops Skipper in Fashion Starter #721-6
admire the child's bracelet that Tuli-Chan
(in her original gown) is holding.
Teen Skipper loved hearts!
Here are Extreme Green in a Teen Time outfit,
while Florida Vacation and Totally YoYo
both wear Teen Scene summer outfits.
Barbie loved the heart print
from her 1984 Loving You Gown
that she had it reused in the 1990s,
with Pretty Hearts and Freundschafts.
Outfits for romance-loving dolls:
Loving You Barbie and Sweet Roses PJ
in their original gowns

Cleo made a number of Barbie Valentine
children's cards over the years.
On the right is Sweet Roses PJ modeling
#4812 Romantic Valentine,
while on the left Loving You Barbie
wears the similar unnamed Fashion Fun #7503.

I wanted to write an article with photos about Barbie and Valentine's Day, and the research has been tougher than I expected.  With a few exceptions, Barbie and her family and friends haven't had a lot of Valentine or heart-themed clothing.  Since the heart is such a universal symbol, you'd think there would be more merchandise.

The exceptions:
The 1980s Heart Family:  Although some of the original outfits have hearts on them, I looked through their separately sold outfits and they have very few, if any, hearts on them!
Some 1990s special edition Barbies: 1991 Pretty Hearts, 1993 Secret Hearts Barbie and Ken, 1995 Bob Mackie Queen of Hearts, 1996 Pretty Hearts, 1996 Valentine Sweetheart, 1997 Target Valentine Romance, 1997 Valentine Fun and 1999 Target Valentine Style.  I don't recall anything specific before that, and I don't know about the merchandise sold in 2000 and after.
Teen Skipper in the late 1990s had a number of outfits with hearts on them.  I will show you three of them in a photo.

I think the most romantic year for Barbie had to be 1984.  That was the year of Loving You Barbie and Sweet Roses PJ, plus I will show the dolls redressed in two of the ball gowns for that year.

Some comments:
1967 #1845 Hearts N Flowers came in two versions: a bright green background and a white background.  It's actually a loud school outfit, as it came with books.  It has a fake jumper that's all one piece, a jacket, boots and socks and a cap that will remind you of the Beatles.
1974 Curl Tuli-Chan was sold only in Japan.  Like other Quick Curl dolls,  her limbs fall off very easily.  Her hair is black with red streaks, and the streaks are the wires.  Her hair is very, very stiff, and unlike the rest of the doll, is so strong it could withstand a tornado.
1984 had a number of beautiful dolls, including Loving You Barbie and Sweet Roses PJ.  PJ, a rare brunette, has the poofiest dress Mattel has ever made.  The layers of the gown are supposed to represent petals and each satin petal is lined with a stiff netting.
1984 Loving You Barbie's outfit would reappear in the 1990s.  Mattel must have had a lot of the heart print netting left over.  The fabric would be used in the 1991 Pretty Hearts Barbie, which was renamed Freundschafts (Friendship) Barbie in 1992 in Germany.
1984 #4812 Romantic Valentine is the first (maybe only) Barbie gown that was a separately sold outfit that mentioned Valentine's Day.  It is skin-tight and hard to get over Barbie's hips and breasts.  My advice:  pull up the pink underlining all the way first, over her breasts, and then pull up the separate lace outer section.  There are many similar looking strapless gowns with lace on the top during this time period.
The Cleo Barbie Valentines for 1989 are one of many Barbie greeting cards that have been made over the decades.  I don't think a list has ever been created of greeting cards.