Barbie of the Month: Dramatic Living Barbie

In 1970, Mattel introduced the first fully posable Barbie doll and named her (#1116) Dramatic New Living Barbie. 

Dramatic Living Barbie

The Dramatic New Living Barbie was amazing!   She could tilt her head, bend her knees, rotate her wrists, had posable ankles (so she could wear flats and heels), could bend her elbows, swing her arms up and out, and swivel at the waist with this brand new style body!  With her posable legs, she could even do the splits!  She was available with blonde, brunette or red hair, and had real eyelashes.  She wore a beautiful gold metallic one piece swim suit with an orange fishnet cover-up that was trimmed in gold.

Dramatic Living Barbie (1970)

In 1971 her name was shortened to the "Dramatic Living Barbie" (they dropped the word "new" from the name on the box).  She was packaged in a new style box, and dressed in a polka-dotted swim suit with matching long wrap.

1971 Dramatic Living Barbie (front and back side of box)

Besides the swim suit variations, the two dolls had one other distinct difference.  In 1970 Barbie had side glanced eyes, and in 1971 her blue eyes were center glanced. 

Side glanced eyes (1970) and center glanced eyes (1971)

In the box was the doll, clear X stand, and fashion booklet.  Both the 1970 and 1971 dolls were marked:  ©1968 Mattel, Inc. U.S. & For Pat'd Other Pats.Pend. Taiwan

Fashion booklet and posing stand

In 1970 and 1971 Sears released an exclusive gifts set. The Sears Action Accents gift set came with a Dramatic Living Barbie doll.  There was another difference in this set.  The doll was marked with a "Japan" marking instead of the normal “Taiwan” mark.  She also had a deeper red hair color which was also slightly longer.  For detailed information on this set, click the link below:  

Action Accents Gift Set 

Sears Action Accents gift set Barbie Doll

In 1970 there was one other Dramatic Living Barbie released; Stock #1188, which exclusive to the Japanese Market.   For additional information on her, click the link provided:

Living Barbie - Japanese Exlcusive 

#1188 Living Barbie Japan Exclusive

Here’s the original 1970 Barbie Commercial for the Living Barbie, starring Maureen McCormick:

 1970 Living Barbie Commerical

This Dramatic Living Barbie doll is a must have in any mod Barbie collection!

Happy Hunting!

Visit my website at 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!



Be sure to visit my web site www.MyVintageBarbies.com for more Barbie information!

Barbie of the Month: Beautiful Blues Gift Set

In 1967 the very rare and lovely #3033 Beautiful Blues set was released exclusively by Sears.

This magnificent set came with a twist ‘n turn Barbie doll that had long hair, with a portion pulled on up on top of her head and tied with a pretty orange hair ribbon.  She had real eye-lashes, and wore a two piece vinyl orange swim-suit with a one-piece fish-net swim-suit over it. 

The one significant difference between this doll and all the other twist ‘n turn dolls that were released in 1967 was the striking powder blue eye shadow that Barbie wore in the Beautiful Blues Set. But, if you look closely at the picture in the Sears catalog, you will notice that the doll pictured does not show her blue eye-shadow at all, which of course was an error in printing.

Barbie with blue eye-shadow

Sear Catalog

Barbie was available in all the same traditional hair colors as the original twist ‘n turn Barbie doll; sun kissed (light blonde), summer sand (ash blond), chocolate bon bon (dark brown), and go go co co (light brown).

The set came with the doll and a stunning ensemble.  The collection featured a blue sparkle one shoulder cocktail dress accented with a white satin bow with white satin trim, along with a beautiful matching blue satin coat trimmed with white fur.  Completing the set were matching blue closed toe heels, and a blue clutch purse.  There was a plastic ‘X’ stand and little blue hanger included as well.

Originally this amazing 7-piece set sold for $5.97, but currently this highly sought after set on the secondary market commands hundreds of dollars to purchase.

Happy Hunting!