Barbie of the Month: Reissue Skipper

Reissue Skipper

In 1969 Mattel added a last minute update flyer to their spring catalog. One of the six items featured was Barbie’s little sister, the #950 straight-leg Skipper doll.  She was packaged wearing the same swim-suit as she wore back in 1964, when she originally debuted.  She was available through 1970, when she was only included in the 1970 Sears catalog, priced at $1.97.

Photo from the 1970 Sears Catalog

This young girl wasn’t exactly identical though.  Even though she had the same swim-suit and hair style as the 1964 version, she had a pinker skin tone and a modified box. 



#950 Reissue Skipper in the updated box



Just glancing at the box you’d almost think it was identical, but if you take a closer look you will see that the new box features Mod Barbie dolls dressed in 1969 and 1970 Mod clothing, rather than early dolls dressed in early 1960’s clothing.

1964 and 1969 boxes

Reissue Skipper has blue eyes and pink, peach, or yellow lips, and was available with blonde, brunette, or titan hair colors.

1964 and 1969 boxes

1964 and 1969 boxes

1964 and 1969 boxes

She is marked: ©1963/Mattel, Inc.

The similar box included skipper in her one-piece red and white swim-suit, red flat shoes, brass headband, white plastic brush & comb, black or gold wire stand, and booklet.  Note:  the brass headband often tarnishes and caused some green to transfer onto Skippers head and hair when left on her head.

Since Skipper was only available from 1969 to 1970 and was only featured twice, (once on a flyer and once in the Sears catalog), she is extremely rare to find in-box.   She is certainly a very popular doll among collectors.

Happy Hunting!

Barbie of the Month: Funtime Barbie and the Gang

 

Funtime Barbie, Ken, and Skipper are the three Funtime dolls that were sold in Europe and Canada in 1975 (boxes marked 1974). 

#7192 Funtime Barbie

The beautiful #7192 Funtime Barbie is made from the true Barbie head mold.  She has long blonde hair, bendable legs, and a twist ‘n turn waist.  Her hair is parted on the side with two pony tails.

#7194 Funtime Ken wears blue swim trunks, has dark brown molded hair, and bendable legs.

 

Funtime Ken

#7193 Skipper, Barbie’s little sister, has long blonde hair, heavy make-up, and wears a yellow two-piece swim suit. 

Interestingly, Barbie and Skipper were made in Korea, and Ken was made in Taiwan.

They are marked:

Barbie: © 1966 Mattel, Inc. U.S. Patented U.S. Pat. Pend. Made in Korea

Ken: ©1968/Mattel, Inc. U.S. & For. Pat'd./Other Pats./Pending/Taiwan

Skipper: 1967 Mattel Inc. U.S. Pat'd. U.S. Pats. Pend. Made in Korea



Barbie and Ken Box markings

There is one additional Funtime doll with a darker rose colored box, who's name doesn’t appear on the back of Barbie, Skipper, and Ken’s box simply because she was only released in 1976.  She is #7381 Funtime Skooter.  This cute redhead with a twist-n-turn waist and bendable legs wears a blue two-piece swim-suit.  She is the hardest of the four dolls to locate. 
 

Funtime Skooter

Skooter is marked: © 1967 Mattel, Inc. U.S. Pat'd. U.S. Pats. Pend. Made in Korea



1976 Skooter and 1975 Skipper

Sold alongside these dolls in 1975 were Funtime sets, advertised as “today’s teens in outdoor scenes”.  I have not been able to locate a picture or even a description of these outdoor sets at the time of this writing.  If you have anything to add, please let our readers know!

 

Barbie, Ken, and Skipper were only available for two short years and Skooter for one year.  Since you could only get them in Europe and Canada, they are always much more difficult to find on the secondary market. 

 

Happy Hunting!

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Barbie of the Month: Skooter Cut ’n Button Costumes

In 1966 the Sears exclusive #1036 Skooter Cut 'n Button Costumes set was released.  It’s the only gift set that was ever made specifically for Skooter.

 

#1036 Skooter Cut 'n Button Costumes Gift Set

Skooter, who was marketed as Skipper’s friend, was available in three hair colors; blonde, brunette, and titian.  She parted her hair down the middle and tied it with double ponytails and red ribbons.  The doll was available with either straight legs or bendable legs.   Skipper and Skooter were the exact same size, and could wear each other’s clothing.

 

 



This pretty gift set included only the straight-leg version of Skooter, who was dressed in her two-piece red and white swim-suit.

 

Bend-leg Skooter, Straight-leg Skipper, and Straight-leg Skooter

 

The set had three fabulous sew free clothing items:

Sailin' Blues:  a blue sun dress that was trimmed in red, with white polka dots and a sail boat design on the front skirt.

Sailin' Blues

 

Windbreaker:  a red coat with navy blue trim and blue buttons with built-in matching belt.

Windbreaker



Windbreaker with leftover fabric



Granny Gown:  a long pink nightgown, with a matching night cap and pink slippers.

Granny Gown uncut

 

The set was advertised as “Fun for you to make without sewing a stitch!”  These clothes were put together in just two easy steps. 

1. Cut out the printed cloth.

2. Button together.  Now dress Skooter!

 

Instructions included with the set

 

Also included in the box were Skooters’ red flat shoes, comb and brush, as well as a fashion booklet, instruction book, and wire stand.  It originally retailed for $3.97.  Interestingly, you could buy the dolls individually for just a $1.00 less, $2.97.  For just a dollar more you would think everyone would have bought the set, but $1.00 was a more significant sum in 1966.

 

Since Cut ‘n Button Costumes set was only obtainable from Sears for one year, it’s another gift set that’s difficult to find intact in the original box.   

 

Happy Hunting!

 

For more Barbie, Check out my website! www.MyVintageBarbies.com

 

 

Barbie of the Month: Skipper Holiday Party Set

Fifty years ago the extremely hard to find #1021 Skipper Holiday Party Set was released.  This fabulous 1965 set is almost identical to the 1964 #1021 Skipper Party Time Gift Set, but with a few exceptions.

Holiday Party Set

Both sets had the same #1021 stock number and included the #1902 Silk 'n Fancy ensemble (dress, white ankle socks, and gold headband only) and the complete set of #1906 Dress Coat (red coat, matching red hat, short white gloves, white flat shoes, and matching red purse). Both sets also included red flat shoes, white brush and comb, gold wire stand, and a fashion booklet.

Holiday Party Set and Party Time Set

The 1965 Holiday set featured a bend-leg Skipper doll dressed in her red, white, and blue nautical one-piece swim-suit instead of the red and white one-piece suit that 1964 set with straight-leg Skipper wore.  

Bend-leg Skipper

The box graphics were changed too.  The 1965 box included a drawing of the bend-leg doll dressed in her swim-suit, and a drawing of the bend-leg doll dressed in the Silk ’n Fancy dress as well.  Interestingly, the doll shown in the Dress Coat ensemble was the same drawing that was featured on both the 1964 and 1965 boxes.  

Box front of both sets

The 1964 Party Time Set was featured as "new" in the 1965 Mattel Catalog after it was released as a Sears exclusive in 1964.  But the rare 1965 set is not pictured in any of the catalogs (Mattel, Sears, Montgomery Ward, or J.C. Penney). Could it have been a small release intended for the Christmas holiday?  

The 1965 set is much, much harder to find on the secondary market than the 1964 set.  But maybe you’ll be one of the lucky few this year, and you’ll find this half century old set under your Christmas tree!

Happy Hunting and Merry Christmas!



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Barbie of the Month: Growing Up Skipper and Growing up Ginger

Growing Up Skipper

In 1975 and 1976 Mattel released two interesting and controversial dolls; #7259 Growing Up Skipper and #9222 Growing Up Ginger.  

Growing Up Ginger

Both dolls had the ability to grow from 9 inches tall (9 ¼ inches was the height of the original Skipper) to 9 ¾ inches in height simply by turning her left arm all the way around counter clockwise.  As you turn her arm her breasts would develop as well.  To return to a little girl, merely turn her arm all the way around clockwise.  

Growing up Skipper debuted at the New York Toy Fair in February 1975.  The box she’s packaged in reads; “2 dolls in 1 for twice as much fun!”  She went from a “cute little girl” to a “tall, curvy teenager”, according to the packaging. 

Once she was for sale in stores, newspapers all over the country had a heyday writing articles about this “Super Teen Skipper”.   Mattel received numerous letters from women’s groups and parents complaining about the doll and her ability to grow breasts. 

In 1975 she had pale blonde colored hair, and when the second version was available in 1976 she had slightly shorter, golden colored hair.  In 1976, the brunette Growing Up Ginger was offered as well.  She was only available in 1976, which makes her much harder to find on the secondary market, and especially in the box.

Both dolls are marked © 1967 Mattel Inc. Hong Kong U.S. & For. Pat.

There were six outfits exclusively designed for the Growing Up Skipper and Ginger Dolls.  Stock numbers 9021, 9022, 9023, 9024, 9512, and 9513.

#9021

#9022

#9023

#9024

#9512

#9513

Even though these aren’t my favorite dolls in the Barbie line, I still enjoy having them as part of history in my vintage Barbie collection. 

Happy Hunting!


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