Sharon Korbeck - Best of Barbie

the best of
Barbie
four decades of Americas favorite doll

sharon korbeck

2001 Krause Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper or electronically transmitted on radio or television. The author and publisher assume no responsibility for any loss incurred by users of this book because of errors, typographical, clerical, or otherwise.

The word mark BARBIE, the Barbie doll and character likenesses, the color Barbie pink and associated trademarks are owned by and used under license from Mattel, Inc. 2001 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mattel makes no representation as to authenticity of the materials contained herein. All opinions are those of the authors and not of Mattel.

All Barbie doll images and art are owned by Mattel, Inc. 2001 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2001088586
ISBN: 0-87349-261-7
eISBN: 978-1-44022-514-7

Printed in the United States of America

on the cover:Pictured are Barbie dolls spanning four decades of an American classic. Pictured from left to right are Dream Date Barbie (1980s), which epitomizes the excesses of that decade; Lingerie Barbie (2000), which brings Barbie back to her glamorous roots; Color Magic Barbie (1960s), a decidedly bold introduction in a decade of change; and Malibu Barbie (1970s), which represented the sunny fresh-faced, long-haired look of the 1970s.

tableof contents

Growing Up Skipper, released in 1977.

acknowledgments

S omewhere in Door County, Wisconsin, in a unassuming warehouse cleverly hidden off Hwy. 42/57, reside 2,000 Barbie dolls.

During the summer tourist season, the dolls stand at attention waiting for the visitors to come in, wide-eyed, and exclaim, I had that doll! Or for little girls to squeal, Mommy, look at all the Barbie dolls! Or for collectors to stand back and admiringly say, What an outstanding collection.

It is for those three groups the nostalgic fans, the young dreamers and the avid collectors that this book is dedicated. And it is because of Georgia Rankin, owner of the epic collection you see in this book, that we were able to create The Best of Barbie Doll.

And so, thank you Georgia, for allowing us to photograph and document your enviable collection. You are a kind soul and an impassioned collector.

Krause Publications photographer Kris Kandler is, in my opinion, the MVP on this project. Her easy demeanor tempered a long photo shoot, and her keen photographic talents created the outstanding images in this book. Editor Dan Stearns remained a constant support, from his enthusiasm at the photo shoot to his sharp wit that kept me going to his prowess in enhancing the flavor of the text.

Thanks also to Rick Jones, for his continuing literary inspiration; to graphic designer Joe Perz for maintaining the theme of best in his cover and page design artistry; and to my associates in the Krause Publications toy/antiques division for picking up the slack while I worked on this project.

Thanks to my contacts at Mattel for their assistance and to Sandi Holder at Sandi Holders Doll Attic in Union City, California for her help as well.

This book is dedicated to my sister, Kathy Gerbers, and my nieces Abby and Alaina Gerbers, whose love of Barbie dolls inspired me to write the best book possible.

Sharon Korbeck
March 2001

whats best ?

H asnt everything already been written about Barbie? Havent we seen all the photos? Learned all the variations?

While a search of the Library of Congress database uncovers more than 400 entries under Barbie, no book has ever taken the organizational approach you see here. Quite simply, this book aims, in organization and content, to present the best of Barbie. The Best of Barbie Doll is not a completist compendium but rather a subjective exploration of the best dolls from 1959 to 2000.

Narrowing down our selection became easier when we finally defined best. To collectors, best doesnt necessarily mean most valuable, best dressed or most influential. Best might simply mean the doll they love the most.

We took a broad, yet decidedly targeted, approach. The dolls listed in this book are included for one or more of the following reasons:

Influence, Import, Innovation. Some of the dolls are included because they are influential or important to the toy industry (like Ponytail #1), society (Black Francie), pop culture (Rocker Barbie) or collecting (Happy Holidays). Others take into account innovations such as Miss Barbies sleep eyes or later dolls talking capabilities.

Controversy. Inciting controversy from her inception, Barbie has faced many challenges in more than 40 years. These dolls are included under our Best Banter section, examining the trials and tribulations you can endure... even if you are just an inanimate (albeit influential) vinyl doll.

Best (best) adj. 1. Exceeding all others in excellence, achievement or quality: most excellent. 2. Most satisfactory, suitable, or useful: most desirable. 3. To the greatest extent or degree: Most.

Fashion Model Lingerie #1.

Trends. The life of the Barbie doll has been cleverly cluttered with trends, for better or worse. Some of the best of these (like Bob Mackie fashions, swirl ponytail hair) are presented here.

When we were introduced to Georgia Rankins awe-inspiring collection of more than 2,000 Barbie dolls in Northern Wisconsin, we knew we had the best to choose from. So it seemed natural to corral the dolls in this book under that encompassing heading.

So, aside from being an intriguing and colorful guide to the best of Barbie dolls for the past 42 years, this book will also serve the collector in these ways:

Values. A price guide at the back of the book provides up-to-date pricing for the dolls listed in this book, and many more.

ID Guide. Clear, full-color photos (many full-page examples), close-ups and accompanying text provide unquestionable identification for the dolls.

Glossary. Youve seen phrases and abbreviations used in ads or other books, but do you know what they mean? Our concise, illustrated glossary is a handy inclusion.