Being Barbie’s Boyfriend? It’s Not Ken-Tastic

Best advice if you’re thinking about dating the world’s most famous doll with the world’s most popular movie? Run, Ken, run! By Paul Kennedy   I feel for Ken, the poor sap. It’s not his fault. Not really. There are forces at work in the universe we are powerless against. I can speak with some […]

Mattel’s New My First Barbie

Barbie reaches new heights. The Barbie doll has had many makeovers since her introduction in 1959, helping collectors date her vintage. Mattel’s new My First Barbie doll is noticeably different from her predecessors and will be easy to recognize. Developed with the preferences and fine motor skills of children as young as 3 in mind, […]

Happy 63rd Birthday, Barbie! 

One of the most recognizable and curvaceous teenage dolls in history, Barbie, is almost eligible for Medicare. She made her debut 63 years ago today. If your mom bought you that first doll, we hope you are treating her well. She may have cost less than $3 to buy in 1959—for reference, a gallon of […]

Kovels On Antiques & Collectibles September 2021 Newsletter Now Available

Kovels On Antiques & Collectibles newsletter is available as a print subscription, or as a digital version that is included in the Kovels Knowledge and Kovels All Access memberships. Start your Kovels Knowledge Free Trial now or login. Kovels’ September 2021 newsletter features Barbie dolls, mocha pottery, antique European porcelain, Scandinavian furniture and vintage oil […]

Barbie No. 1

Barbie No. 1 has upside-down V-shaped eyebrows. She also has holes in the soles of her feet that were used with a special stand.    

“Old” Toys for Christmas

Old toys are back for Christmas. They are similar, but different enough to be recognized as new. Don’t be fooled. Parents might want to extend their collections; kids just think they are familiar and are made for 2020. But nostaligia sells the toys to parents with the box label, not the toy. Look for this […]

New Exhibit Helps Girls Dream Big, Just Like Barbie

Imagine it and it will happen. That is the message behind a new exhibit opening August 1 at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis called “Barbie, You Can Be Anything: The Experience.”  The museum is partnering with Mattel to celebrate 61 years of Barbie with a new exhibit showcasing the iconic doll’s many careers (more than 200 and […]

A New Decade and New Looks for Fashionista Barbie

Barbie is not resting on her fashion icon laurels. With her hands firmly on her tiny waist, she is adapting to changing tastes. In the last five years, Barbie’s maker, Mattel, has introduced more than 170 new looks, embracing body diversity, reflecting permanent disabilities, different skin tones and hair colors and textures, and even a […]

Barbie

Barbie, said to have been inspired by the German doll Bild Lilli, was probably the first American teenage doll. She was introduced in 1959 and may be the most successful doll ever made. Mattel, Inc. continues to make the doll, along with a huge wardrobe of clothes and accessories. The 11 1/2-inch fashion doll with […]

Action Figures and Superheroes

Hasbro bought the rights to a “doll” designed for boys from its creator Stanley Weston, and in 1964 began producing G. I. Joe, the toy industry’s first action figure. Like Barbie, G. I. Joe came with a wide range of accessories—uniforms, weapons, and military gear. By 1965 G. I. Joe was the top-selling toy for […]