Since its debut in 1959, Barbie has never ceased to fascinate people of all ages worldwide. The iconic doll reached new levels of fame and popularity with the 2023 feature film. In 1959, US businesswoman Ruth Handler created Barbara Millicent Roberts, the first fashion doll for little girls. A runaway success, 350 000 Barbies were sold in the first year, but it would take 37 years for South Africa to have its first taste of the Barbie empire.
Josse Feldman was the first distributor for Mattel products in South Africa and commenced redistribution towards the end of the eighties. According to Michelle Reid, the chief executive of Blue Horizon Licensing (the local company that deals with all Barbie brand licensing), Barbie merchandise first appeared in the form of clothing. “The first range of Barbie children’s clothing launched in South Africa in Woolworths stores in 1996. This was the first time that South Africa had seen any Barbie licensed product in the country,” says Reid.
In time, Barbie became much more than just a doll. Thanks to its popularity, it was used as a medium to discuss broader cultural topics. To respond to critics saying that Barbie promoted unrealistic body standards, Mattel started including Barbies of different body types and features in their assortment.
The Evolution of Barbie and Representation
Since 1959, Barbie has undergone numerous changes, each reflecting the societal changes and trends of the time. So, in the 1980s, Barbies came in a variety of professions, followed by more diverse Barbies in the 1990s.
Read also: Cultural Impact of Holiday Barbie
Narratives about Barbie are, however, often overly simplified. There’s the idea that Barbie was only produced as a white doll, when, in fact, the African-American Christie was launched in the US at the same time as Barbie herself. Called Talking Christie Doll, she sported a short, stylish bob and a green crochet dress. In 1988, Hispanic Teresa, Asian Miko, and Native-American Nia also entered the scene.
The Fashionista range introduced in 2016 and available in South Africa includes four body types (original, petite, curvy and tall), seven skin tones, 22 eye colours, 24 hairstyles and countless on-trend fashions and accessories. According to a Huffington Post article last year, the best-selling Fashionista doll is a brunette Latina with a “curvy” build and brown eyes.
Barbie is still going to have a hard time beating these beautiful Xhosa, Sotho and Zulu toy dolls, but the famous Mattel doll is now one of the most ethnically diverse toys on the market. In 2009, the brand launched a new range of black dolls with fuller lips, a wider nose and more pronounced cheekbones. Grace, Kara, Trichelle and their little sisters Courtney, Janessa and Kianna sport curlier hair and varying skin tones - from light brown, to chocolate and caramel.
The Barbie Beatdown
Around that time, a bobble-headed, big-eyed fashion doll called Bratz leapt on to the scene, challenging Barbie’s authority as the reigning girls’ fashion doll. When Bratz came out in 2002, it was a threat to Barbie sales. In fact, by 2006, Bratz was outselling Barbie in South Africa and, at one point, owned 40% market share of the fashion doll industry.
Read also: The History of Black Representation in Barbie
The Barbie bigwigs knew something had to be done. They sued MGA, the producers of Bratz, claiming that Bratz creator Carter Bryant was employed by Mattel when he thought up the doll, and thus Mattel owned Bratz. The legal battle went back and forth and lasted for a staggering eight years.
In the end, MGA won, but, thanks to the lawsuit and new competition from the likes of Disney’s Frozen, Bratz was discontinued in 2016. Barbie outlasted Bratz, reiterating the lesson all fashion dolls know: you never mess with Barbie.
Collecting Barbie: Vintage and Valuable Dolls
For a Barbie to be considered vintage, it must be produced between 1959 and 1966, during the so-called Vintage Era. These Barbies are among the most valuable today and have distinct characteristics. But be careful - not every vintage-looking Barbie is truly one of these 1960s Barbies.
There are a few ways to tell how rare and potentially valuable your Barbie is. All you need is some basic knowledge and attention to detail:
- Body markings: These stamps should contain the name of the manufacturer and the year of the manufacture.
- Feet and hands: Vintage-era Barbies, which are among the most valuable ones, typically have holes in the bottom of their feet.
- Stamps: Barbies with a "Made in Japan" stamp were undoubtedly made between 1959 and 1972, making them more valuable.
- Hairstyles: Vintage Barbies with original hairstyles are significantly more expensive.
Read also: Diverse Barbie Dolls
While there are lots of little factors influencing the vintage Barbie value, some are particularly significant. The value of a Barbie doll is significantly influenced by its rarity. It goes without saying that the rarer the Barbie, the higher the price. In most cases, the rarest Babies are limited-edition dolls, exclusive releases, or Barbies with unique characteristics. As important as rarity is, few collectors are willing to pay good money for a doll in poor condition (or well-loved, to put it nicely). The closer the doll is to perfect condition, the higher its price. This means retaining the original coloring, having all limbs, and showing no signs of damage. The last part also applies to the packaging.
Suppose a doll is associated with a significant historical or cultural event. In that case, its value will also be higher. For Barbies, this primarily refers to vintage Barbies and special-edition versions released to celebrate a specific event. For instance, the Stefano Canturi Barbie, the most expensive Barbie ever sold, is a great example of this.
World's Most Expensive Barbie Dolls
Record-Breaking Barbie Sales
As any collector community, the Barbie community has had some record-breaking sales with figures that can make your jaw drop.
- The Stefano Canturi Barbie ($302,500): This Barbie, a one-of-a-kind creation featuring a choker with real diamonds, was made for auction at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation fundraiser in 2010.
- The De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie ($85,000): Created for Barbie's 40th anniversary, this exquisite Barbie is the work of the famed diamond company De Beers.
- The Original Barbie ($27,450): The Original Barbie has long been dubbed the Holy Grail of Barbie collecting, so its high price shouldn't be surprising.
Tips for Starting Your Barbie Collection
Are you eager to start your own Barbie collection? Awesome! If there's one thing you should remember for collecting Barbies (or any objects like collectible statues) is to always do your research. Only by researching the subject matter thoroughly can you make informed purchases. Like most activities, collecting Barbies is much more fun in a group. So, seek appealing collector groups (online and offline) and join them.
Sure, collecting Barbies should be fun. But you should also ensure you're collecting truly valuable dolls and not getting scammed. You can do so by researching the proper markings for the doll in question. If you can't find the proper markings or any of the details on your desired Barbie don't match the reference materials, you're probably dealing with a counterfeit.
The condition of your Barbie doll is one of the deciding factors in its evaluation. So, to get the most out of your collection, you must keep your Barbie dolls as if they're mint-in-box. Store your Barbie dolls in a cool and dry place to prevent damaging the doll or its packaging. Clean your Barbie dolls regularly to maintain their pristine appearance. Use only a soft cloth or a gentle brush to remove dirt and debris from your Barbies. For stubborn spots, throw a gentle soap solution into the mix.
To preserve Barbie's hair, gently comb it and style it with a toothbrush or any soft-bristled brush. Barbie collectors are a burgeoning community, so you'll have no issues buying or selling collectible Barbie dolls. You can do so on online stores like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay or find a specialized online toy store. While doing so, you'll encounter numerous helpful resources, including a grading system prevalent in the Barbie-collecting community (the so-called C Grading System). This system ranks Barbie dolls from C-1 (the poorest condition) to C-10 (mint condition or never removed from the box).
As long as you know what to pay attention to and look for, collecting valuable Barbie dolls will be nothing but fun. And if you ever get stuck, just consult our Barbie collector price guide! We can also help you find your first collectibles. You can sell your collectible Barbie dolls on various online stores, including Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Barbie in Numbers in South Africa
According to leading South African toy retailer Toys R Us, sales of the Barbie dolls have increased in the past few years, and 30 000 units of the doll were sold last year. The best-selling Barbie is the Doll Princess 3, probably due to her price, which is R99.90.
Table: Key Barbie Milestones in South Africa
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1996 | First Barbie children’s clothing launched in South Africa in Woolworths stores. |
| 2006 | Bratz was outselling Barbie in South Africa, owning 40% market share of the fashion doll industry at one point. |
| 2016 | The Fashionista range, including diverse body types and skin tones, becomes available in South Africa. |
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