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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Vintage Wednesday - Barbie heads molds

Today, the post is not about Vintage Barbie Dolls but some of my own questions about identifying a Barbie doll, including not only the body I have decided to go step by step and start with the heads.
Most of us know how many transformations she has had been throughout the years... you don't even have to be a collector to notice it! 

I have to say that "talking" about Barbie head molds is by itself the subject of a very long conversation, I'm sure it's a subject that would give us a book, so I may miss a few things here and there, so bear with me, lets learn together and try to put all the pieces, (in my own head), together. 

Here we go... From 1959 to 1966 she used one basic head mold, (a small alteration for fashion queen and Miss Barbie dolls were then made). 

From 1967 through 1976 she used four different head molds, (except for the Montgomery Ward doll, Twist 'N Turn, Stacey and Steffie dolls, these used the 1959 head mold). 

And, since 1977 we had more head molds than we could ever hope to count...  Anyways...  Can't keep up with Mattel... 

The introduction of differing Mattel "Barbie" lines vs. the traditional Barbie "pink box" lines, collectors lines, season holidays, friends, ethnic and world dolls, etc., have created an enormous amount of molds, casts, and very unique specimens.  There really may be no way to actually categorize the likenesses from here on out... 

Here some examples of different head mold:

Click on the image to enlarge

click on the image to enlarge


Well, I think this is enough for a good start, I'll keep going on this for the next "Vintage Wednesday", besides as I mentioned before this would be a perfect topic for a whole encyclopedia entry, and a blog post won't do it alone! 

But, we can try  : ) 

2 comments:

  1. Hello from Spain: the 'Vintage Monday' you do a great job. Thank you for showing those Barbies. Keep in touch.

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  2. Hi. You have wrong picture in case of Rocker Diva, it is Rocker Barbie with 1976 Superstar sculpt, also Feeling Fun and American Queen, 1994 Birthday Barbie, Mermaid Barbie have 1976 Superstar sculpt. Hope Diamond, 2004 Convention, 2008 Holiday Barbie have 1991 Mackie sculpt. Fantasy Goddess, Goddess of Wisdom, 2011 Holiday AA have 1998 Goddess sculpt. Nifty Fifties and Ethreal Princess have GG/CEO 1998 sculpt. Urban Hipster Nichelle and Cleopatra have same sculpt.

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