We came across this wonderful pictorial guide on the design of Barbie Dolls by Designboom. If you have a particular interest using Stumbleupon is delightful tool to find pages which have been recommended by
other users.

In this case we found an amazing website which provides a visual tour of a Barbie design studio. From wigs, make up, and original markups, if you have wondered how a Barbie doll is conceived, here is chance to see
the process.

Design Boom “the making of barbie”

• A/O: All original Barbie dolls come complete with everything it came with originally.

• Book value: Price of a particular Barbie doll.

• C grading system: Used to rate the condition of your Barbie doll. C-1 through C-10 are used, with C-1 being very poor and C-10 being pristine and NRFB.

• Collector edition: Collector edition Barbie dolls were intended for collection. More than 35,000 collector edition Barbie dolls were manufactured.

• Customized Barbie dolls: Customized Barbie dolls were designed for a particular store.

• HTF: Hard-to-find Barbie dolls.

• Limited edition: Limited Edition Barbie dolls produced in quantities of less than 35,000. They often have special features that make them unique.

• MIB: Mint in box. Factory condition Barbie doll in the original box.

• MIP: Mint in package Barbie dolls. Like MIB, the MIP doll is in factory condition, in the original box, with all accessories preserved in original packaging.

• Mint & complete: The Barbie doll has all accessories and is in excellent shape.

• MNB: Mint no box.

• Modern Barbie: Denotes Barbie dolls made after 1972.

• NM: Near mint.

• NRFB: Never removed from box.

• OSS: Original Swim Suit.

• Timeless treasures: Barbie dolls modeled after celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Lucille Ball, or Elvis.

• Vintage Barbie: Vintage Barbie dolls were made before 1972.

Source: Ebay.com

Barbie Classifications

In 2004 Mattel created a “tier structure” to identify Barbie dolls that will be collectible.

• Platinum label: Platinum Label Barbie dolls are produced in quantities of less than 1000. Dolls, like the Platinum editions of Badgley Mischka Bride Barbie and Fairie Queen Barbie, are Platinum Label. This label also includes dolls for events like CAAF’s annual Dream Halloween events.

• Gold label: Gold Label Barbie dolls are produced in quantities of less than 25,000 worldwide.

• Silver label: Silver Label Barbie dolls are produced in quantities of less than 50,000. Chocolate Obsession Barbie doll and Barbie as Juliet are Silver Label Barbies.

• Pink label: Pink Label Barbie dolls are collector’s items that do not have a production quota. Items like the Dolls of the World collection are Pink Label.

A man walks into the toy store to get a Barbie doll for his daughter. So he asks the assistant, as you would, “How much is Barbie?man walks into the toy store to get a Barbie doll for his daughter. So he asks the assistant, as you would, “How much is Barbie?”

“Well,” she says, “we have Barbie Goes to the Gym for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Ball for $19.95, Barbie Goes Shopping for $19.95, Barbie Goes to the Beach for $19.95, Barbie Goes Nightclubbing for $19.95, and Divorced Barbie for $265.00.”

“Hey, hang on,” the guy asks, “why is Divorced Barbie $265.00 when all the others are only $19.95?”

“Yeah, well, it’s like this … Divorced Barbie comes with Ken’s house, Ken’s car, Ken’s boat, Ken’s furniture …”

Aging Barbie

Finally a Barbie I can relate to! At long last, here are some NEW Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully. These are a bit more realistic…

1. Bifocals Barbie – Comes with her own set of blended-lens fashion frames in six wild colors (half-frames too!), neck chain and large-print editions of Vogue and Martha Stewart Living.

2. Hot Flash Barbie – Press Barbie’s bellybutton and watch her face turn beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead. Comes with hand-held fan and tiny tissues.

3. Facial Hair Barbie – As Barbie’s hormone levels shift, see her whiskers grow. Available with teeny tweezers and magnifying mirror.

4. Flabby Arms Barbie – Hide Barbie’s droopy triceps with these new, roomier-sleeved gowns. Good news on the tumm.Barbie support panels are included.

5. Bunion Barbie – Years of disco dancing in stiletto heels have definitely taken their toll on Barbie’s dainty arched feet. Soothe her sores with the pumice stone and plasters, then slip on soft terry mules.

6. No-More-Wrinkles Barbie – Erase those pesky crow’s feet and lip lines wiith a tube of Skin Sparkle Spackle, from Barbie’s own line of exclusive age-blasting cosmetics.

7. Soccer Mom Barbie – All that experience as a cheer-leader is really paying off as Barbie dusts off her old high school megaphone to root for Babs and Ken, Jr. Comes with minivan in robin-egg blue or white, and cooler filled with doughnut holes and fruit punch.

8. Mid-life Crisis Barbie – It’s time to ditch Ken. Barbie needs a change, and Alonzo (her personal trainer) is just what the doctor ordered… along with Prozac. They’re hopping in her new red Miata and heading for the Napa Valley to open a B&B. Includes a real tape of “Breaking Is Hard to Do.”

9. Divorced Barbie – Sells for $199.99. Comes with Ken’s house, Ken’s car, and Ken’s boat.

10. Recovery Barbie – Too many parties have finally caught up with the ultimate party girl. Now she does Twelve Steps instead of dance steps. Clean and sober, she’s going to meetings religiously. Comes with a little copy of The Big Book, coffee cup and pack of smokes.

11. Post-Menopausal Barbie – This Barbie wets her pants when she sneezes, forgets where she puts things, and cries alot. She is sick and tired of Ken sitting on the couch watching the tube, clicking through the channels. Comes with Depends and Kleenex. As a bonus this year, the book “Getting In Touch with Your Inner Self” is included.

Barbie & GI Joe

One afternoon, a woman and her little daughter went into a large toy store. The mother asked her daughter what toys she wanted.

The little girl said, “I want GI Joe and Barbie.”

The mother smiled and said, “Darling, you know Barbie doesn’t come with GI Joe.”

The little girl looked up at her mom and replied, “Mom, Barbie ALWAYS comes with GI Joe. She just FAKES it with Ken.”

NE Collectibles should be your first stop if you are interested in collectables. After 28 years
of gathering collectables in New England we are liquidating our inventory, Whether you are a serious collector or simply looking for unique a gift item, we offer something to fulfill
your needs.

At NEcollectibles we are interested in selling and no reasonable offer is refused. Whether you are interested in model cars, stamps, rare coins, baseball cards,or any other fine collectable visit New England where we are committed to customer satisfaction

Address:

Collectors Paradise
771 Boston Post Road
Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: 508-458-9800

Hours:

Tuesday – Friday 11am – 8pm
Saturday – Sunday 12pm -5pm
(Closed Mondays)

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