Sunday, June 14, 2015

Houses et al 1975 to 1979

A day of hiking has left Ken exhausted.
Barbie had the most beautiful swimsuits
and summer outfits in the mid-1970s!

Ginger stops by to check out Skipper's
teen bedroom with the reversible comforters.
Why WOULDN'T Barbie hang upside down?
The most comfortable outdoor spot in Willows
is Wishing Well Park.
The dress on the left is similar to many Barbie mid-70s outfits,
but she never had anything like the one on the right.
I think the 1975 version has the prettiest interior
of all of the Sleep N Keep cases.
It looks like Barbie used the leftover fabric
from making Skipper's canopy to sew herself a dress.
1974 (dated 1973) #7795
Pool Party
Made by Mattel.  The exterior is white metal with blue and yellow accents.  The interior is blue vinyl.
Only the 1975 version sold at Sears came with the mat.  For Malibu dolls

My dolls are 1974 Yellowstone Kelley in #7788 Dazzly Duds for Beach Days, 1975 SunSet Malibu PJ in #7241 Bright N Gay for Holiday Play, 1976 Deluxe Quick Curl Barbie in #7424 Regatta on the Sea and 1976 Deluxe Quick Curl PJ in #9664 Sears Vacation Outfit.




The 1976 summer Olympics were in Montreal, Quebec, in August.  Events included gymnastics (with Nadia Comenici), swimming and track/athletics (with Bruce...errr...whatever...Jenner).

1975 (dated 1974) #7240
Olympic Gymnast Set
Made by Mattel
Blue parallel bar.  For Olympic Malibu and Free Moving dolls dolls

My dolls are free Moving PJ and Free Moving Barbie in #7271 Gold Medal Swimsuit, SunSet Malibu Skipper in #7224 Gold Medal Swimsuit and Quick Curl Cara in #7244 US Olympic Fashions to Wear on Parade.



1975 (dated 1974) #7899
World of Barbie Sleep N Keep Case
Made by Mattel
Sears exclusive
1974 Sweet 16 Barbie in #7755 Dirndl Style from 1974
1975 Free Moving Barbie in generic red slacks, blue polka dot shirt, white short sleeve cardigan

My doll is Sweet 16 Barbie in Dirdnl Style.




1976 (dated 1975) #9282
Growing Up Skipper 2-in-1 Bedroom
Made by Mattel
Plain exterior.  For Growing Up Skipper and Ginger

My dolls are the 1976 Deluxe Quick Curl Barbie in #9757 Why, Gypsy? (which matches Skipper's canopy), 1975 Growing Up Skipper in #9021 Games in the Garden and Growing Up #9023 and 1976 Growing Up Ginger in #9121 Going to School and #9122 Happy Days.



1976 (dated 1975) #9271
Young Sweethearts Wishing Well Park
Made by Mattel
This is the most elaborate and beautiful playset Mattel ever made.  Unfortunately, I do not have all of the pieces.  For Michael and Melinda

My dolls are Michael and Melinda in #9585 Party Day Blue.




1979 (dated 1978) #2316
Campin’ Out
Made by Mattel
Playset only with orange tent.  For Sun Lovin' Malibu dolls

My doll is 1979 Sun Lovin' Ken in Fashion Collectible #1376.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Houses et al 1970 to 1974

Ken and Ken want to go sailing.  Tuli and Chocho want to hike.  Francie and Barbie plan to shop. Skipper wants to stay at camp. The other Barbie is dressed for tennis.  Nothing is final yet.  Not everyone has their shoes on.
I couldn't resist.  I had to set up this scene
like the painting American Gothic.
PJ, Skipper and Barbie sneak around
to the back of Cafe' Today.
Barbie, Skipper and PJ wait for the Cafe' Today to open.
Cafe' Today is very casual--shoes optional. 
Flight attendant Roberts and Captain Carson
greet passengers Kelley and Steffie
waiting to board the Friend Ship.
Steffie and Kelley have their private accommodations
aboard the Friend Ship.
(Yes, I know Barbie's lost one of her shoes and Ken doesn't have any at all!)
How many things are wrong in this photo?
No helmets, the Jones baby is unsecured
and Barbie's feet can't reach the petals!
The best Skipper playset ever--the Swing-A-Rounder Gym.
You seldom see the back of the Lively Livin'/
Live Action House with the patios closed up.
Although we don't know the name of the street that Barbie lives on,
her house number is 5150.
The fences of the Live Action house stand up better
than the ones for Lively Livin'.
I own only the coat to Long on Leather.
The rest of the outfit that Francie is wearing is #1245 Snake Charmers.
The Mountain Ski Cabin is very cozy inside.



1970 #4983
Cafe’ Today
Made by Mattel
The exterior is pink wood with a fountain and white trellis.  The interior is stone walls with yellow appliances and a purple linoleum polka dot print floor.  This was my sister Barb's as a child, and I have permanently "borrowed" it.

My dolls are Living Barbie in #1510 Glamour Group, Twist N Turn PJ in #1792 Mood Matchers, Bend Leg Ken in #1589 Red, White and Wild, and Living Skipper #1513 Young Ideas, all from 1970.



1971 (dated 1969) #4961
Live Action House
Made by Mattel
The exterior is yellow wood with red dormered rooftops (second version of the house, with different construction pieces).  The house number is 5150. The interior has a bedroom and balcony with AstroTurf upstairs, a living room with a shuffleboard and pond outside, and a kitchen with a swing and more AstroTurf outside.  For Live Action dolls
The first version of the house, sold in 1970, was called the Lively Livin' House, and each piece was separate and took a while to put together.  (I had this house as a girl, which is why I know this, but that house is long gone.)
The Live Action House was the second version with some panels and connecting pieces combined, and could be put together much more quickly, but it is not as sturdy.  (I purchased this as an adult collector.)  Also different is the way that the fencing is installed, which allows it to be more erect.
The third version, in 1972, was called Barbie's Surprise House and was the Live Action House plus some ivy seeds that could be planted to grow in small containers.

My dolls are Live Action Barbie in #3408 Super Scarf, Live Action Ken in #1439 Suede Scene and Live Action PJ in #3401 Fringe Benefits, all from 1971.



1971 (dated 1970) #4994
Country Camper
Made by Mattel
The exterior is yellow and orange Fiberglass.  The interior is orange.  The tent came in solid orange, orange and yellow gingham or an orange print.  This was my sister Barb's as a girl, and I have permanently "borrowed" it.  For SunSet Malibu dolls

My dolls are Malibu Barbie in #3412 Fun Flakes, Malibu Ken in #1472 Sea Scene, Malibu Skipper in #3467 Teeter Timers and Malibu Francie in #3458 Olde Look, all from 1971.


1974 (dated 1973) #8669
Goin’ Campin’
Made by Mattel.  I've combined this with the Country Camper.
Tent-Trailer with an orange base and a yellow tent.  For SunSet Malibu dolls

My dolls are Sun Valley Ken #7837 Tennis Gear Set to Score, SunSet Malibu Barbie in #7842 Neatest Tennis Set at the Net, Curl Chocho in #7848 Beachy Bits for Sunny Fun, and Curl Tuli-Chan in #7846 Rough N Ready Comfy Camp-Ins, all from 1974.



1972 (dated 1971) #4284

Barbie Garden Patio
For the Busy and Talking Busy dolls, because they can hold the gardening tools.

My dolls are SunSet Malibu PJ in #3486 O-Boy Corduroy and Walk Lively Ken in #3378 Western Winner, all from 1972.



1972 (dated 1971) #1179
Swing-A-Rounder Gym
Made by Mattel
Orange and pink swing set.  For Pose N Play Skipper and Tiff

My dolls are Skipper in #3295 Turn Abouts and Tiff in #3372 Fun Runners.


1973 (dated 1972) #4283
Mountain Ski Cabin
The exterior is white wood paneling.  The interior is wood paneling with a fireplace, bunk beds and a storage closet.  For Quick Curl dolls
Pictured is 1970 blonde Twist N Turn Francie in #1760 Long on Leather from 1970

My dolls inside the cabin are Quick Curl Kelley in #8682 New Fashion Coat and #8681 Chic & Neat, Quick Curl Skipper in #8613 Winter Day and #8611 School Starts, and Quick Curl Barbie in #8687 Pantsuit with Fur, all from 1973.


1973 (dated 1972) #8639
Friend Ship
Made by Mattel
The exterior is white painted metal with black, blue and red United Airlines trim.  The interior has white print walls and red flooring.  For Quick Curl dolls
Pictured in the storage compartment are #3429 Cold Snap from 1971, a generic blue trench coat, #3338 Mainly for Rain from 1972 and #8682 New Fashion Coat from 1973.
The pilot is 1972 Walk Lively Ken in #7707 Authentic United Airlines Pilot Uniform from 1973.

My dolls are Quick Curl Barbie in #7703 Authorized United Airlines Stewardess, Mod Hair Ken in the pilot uniform and Quick Curl Kelley in New Fashion Coat and #8681 Chic and Neat, all from 1973.  Also, Walk Lively Steffie in Mainly for Rain and #3337 All American Girl, all from 1972.



1974 (dated 1973) #7777
10-Speeder
Made by Mattel
Yellow bicycle.  Unfortunately, it will not stand up by itself.  For Malibu dolls

My dolls are the 1974 SunSet Malibu Barbie in Best Buy #7813 with the Barbie Babysits baby (AKA the Jones baby or Little Sweets) in the basket.




Saturday, May 23, 2015

Houses et al 1965 to 1969


Note that the pictures on the walls of the Family House make the dolls
look like they are floating slightly above ground.


Skipper, Tutti, Todd and Ricky take refuge under the trees on a hot summer day.

The back of the closed-up Skipper Dream Room.

Todd and Ricky plan a game of table tennis on the patio of the Skipper Dream Room.
It got too hot outside to play, so Skipper, Ricky, Todd and Tutti
come inside the Skipper Dream Room to cool off.

The Barbie & Francie Dressing Room Case has the most colorful--and loudest--
graphics of all of the Barbie houses.

Inside the Dressing Room Case, Francie has removed her shoes
and changed her hair color.

Skipper's and Barbie's outfits match the interior of the Family House!








1965 (dated 1964) #4094
Skipper’s Dream Room
Made by Mattel
The exterior is yellow brick and wood paneling with bushes and trees.  The front has a functional window and the back shows patio furniture and a Ping-Pong table.  In the interior, I am including Suzy Goose #414 Skipper Vanity from 1966.

My dolls are the pink skin redhead Straight Leg Skipper in #1923 Can You Play?, pink skin Ricky in #1505 Skateboard Set blonde Tutti in #3602 Ship Shape and Todd in his original outfit, all from 1966.




1967 (dated 1965) #1024
Barbie & Francie Dressing Room Case
Made by Mattel
The exterior is pink and orange walls with overhead Tiffany lamps.  The interior is dark pink and lavender.

The dolls pictured on the five sides are:
1967 Bend Leg Francie in #1290 Denims On and holding #1289 Note the Coat, both from 1967 (which you can't see)
1965 blonde American Girl Barbie in #1692 Patio Party from 1967
1967 brunette Bend Leg Francie in #1288 In Print from 1967
1967 brunette Bend Leg Francie in #1277 Sunspots from 1967 
1965 titian American Girl Barbie in #1687 Caribbean Cruise from 1967

My doll is a 1966 brunette Bend Leg Francie in Sunspots.



1969 (dated 1968) #1066
Barbie Family House
Made by Mattel
The exterior is orange paneling with a black and white checked foundation.  The interior consists of four rooms: a yellow bedroom, a red paneled living room and a black-and-white combination foyer and dining room.  Note that Skipper and Barbie match the interior.  This was my sister Joan's house as a girl (as you can see by her numerous decals!), but I have permanently "borrowed" it. 

The dolls and fashions pictured on the exterior are:
1969 brunette Twist N Turn Francie in a pink version of Barbie's #1860 Smasheroo (which was never sold)
1969 Bend Leg Ken in an outfit that looks #1427 Mountain Holiday from 1966 (for the old skinnier Ken)
1967 white Twist N Turn Barbie (which was never sold) in #1859 Tunic N Tights
1968 white Twist N Turn Stacey in #1858 Fancy Dancy
1968 blonde Twist N Turn Skipper in #1961 Real Sporty

My dolls are a brunette 1967 Twist N Turn Barbie in Smasheroo and a blonde 1968 Twist N Turn Skipper in Real Sporty. This Skipper is my childhood doll, who I received for Christmas in 1968 (yes, I know she is not in mint condition).





Saturday, April 25, 2015

Houses et al 1962 to 1964

A tear-stained Barbie (actually, her face is shiny because of the oily vinyl)
is saying goodbye to Ken who is leaving for the Army.  This is the front of the 1963 Dream House.

As I did with the cases, I am showing you the exteriors of 
Ken leans in to kiss Barbie before he reports for duty.
This is the side of the Dream House.
the houses or playsets (if applicable).
Please note that when I saw "metal" or "wood" or "glass," that everything is just vinyl or plastic made to look these other materials.


1963 (dated 1962) #0816
Barbie Dream House
Made by Mattel
The exterior has aqua wood paneling, black doors and plate glass windows with beige curtains.  My house is in poor condition but the furniture is actually in good shape!
Also shown are the seat and rug for 1963 #1465 Suzy Goose Barbie Vanity.  I've discovered that the Suzy Goose chairs are better suited for bend leg dolls, as they sit too high for the straight leg.

My dolls are 1963 Fashion Queen Barbie (wearing #957 Knitting Pretty and a Pak Knit Dress) and a 1963 brunette Straight Leg Ken (in #797 Army).

Barbie is secretly relieved that Ken is gone.
Now she can wear something more comfortable,
take off her wig and go barefoot!