Product Description

The Ultimate Barbie® Doll book, published in 1996, contains over 1,070 U.S. issue dolls produced by Mattel®, Inc. from 1959 through 1995. All are pictured in full color, most with two views - a close-up of the face and a full picture of the doll - almost 2,000 photographs. Not intended as a coffee table book, concise blocks of information next to the photographs contain, name, model number, hair color and style, clothing, body type and markings, head mold and markings, accessories, booklets, and pertinent notes all to assist the collector in identifying loose, unclothed dolls from the covered time period.

Designed to be used like an illustrated dictionary, where dolls and their characteristics can be "looked-up" as quickly as possible. Abbreviations are kept to a minimum, but for those used, check the "Terms and Abbreviations" key. Also, a "Pictorial Key" illustrates some of the frequently cited arm styles, shoes, accessories and doll stands. Finally, an alphabetical "Price Guide and Index" lists the dolls, priced both in and out of the box along with average retail price and page number with extensive cross-referencing to assist in locating dolls within the book.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75204 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 280 pages

From the Author
Not included are foreign market dolls unless available for sale in the U.S. and ordered directly from Mattel® by a primary retailer. Every doll in this book could be purchased by the general public from 1959 through 1995. Not included are special event Barbie® dolls, which are usually very small productions of regular issue dolls with a different hair color or one-of-a-kind items created for charitable auctions, conventions, etc. Also excluded are regular issue dolls repackaged in gift sets or repeatedly reissued with minor box changes. These dolls are already pictured once, and for completeness, relevant detail is included in the "Notes" section of the corresponding regular issue doll. Finally, not reported are dolls produced by Mattel®, Inc. with no direct stated association with a Barbie® doll.

Chapters include Regular issue Barbie® dolls 1959-1995, Regular issue Midge® dolls and other like-sized friends 1963-1995, Regular issue Skipper®, Francie®, Tutti® dolls and other like-sized friends 1964-1995, Regular issue Ken® dolls and other like-sized friends 1961-1995, all series dolls available to the general public like Happy Holidays®, Internationals® and Hollywood Legends® until 1995 and store specials which includes all Mattel® issue dolls including store specials, toy store exclusives, and miscellaneous.

Customer Reviews

A Barbie Collector's MUST-HAVE!
The title of the book tells it all. The book takes you back to the very first Barbie doll and shows you how you can tell if you have an authentic doll. It also goes through many of the boxed, collectible Barbies and gives a price list for the older and newer boxed dolls and their value if never removed from the box (NRFB) and if they HAVE been removed. Usually, it's a dramatic difference, so if you can handle it, leave these lovely beauties in their boxes! As the boxes get more and more modern, the box itself is going to be valuable.

I was reading in a doll magazine the other day about whether boxes really are all that important, and one collector/seller said if she just saw a box being sold alone for one of her sets at an antique shop, she'd purchase it just to complete her set!

This book was recommended to me by a very reputable Barbie doll seller who sold me my first vintage Barbie (a #5 brunette who is gorgeous!). I agreed as soon as I took a look at it. Not only does it describe Barbies, but it shows the pictures in more than 1,800 photos! A detailed index allows you to look up specific dolls without having to search through the whole book. Collectible, designer, porcelain and children's favorites are described in this 1996 book, which is well worth the price! If you have any interest in collecting Barbies, buy this book!

A Barbie collector
This book clearly organizes an enormous amount of detail such as head molds, body markings, arm styles and more for over 1,000 dolls produced from 1959 through 1995. The book sticks to the dolls most collectors need identified -- those in general release in the US. The book lists the accessories and outfits the dolls were packaged with so it is possible to dress a loose doll found at a flea market. There are extra sections showing popular shoes, arm and head molds. There are 1800 color pictures of the dolls -- my only complaint is that I wish the pictures were bigger. The price list doesn't just assume the collector has a boxed doll or mint complete doll. And the index saves so much time because it is well cross-referenced so even if you don't get the name exactly right you can still locate the doll. I use this book more than any other. This is the definitive book on Barbie dolls.

Review of "The Ultimate Barbie Doll Book" by Marcie Meillo
This book REALLY is the ULTIMATE! No Barbie Doll Collector should be without it! I loved the full color pictures of each doll, a Full length shot of the doll in the box, and close up on the face. The lists of accessories that each doll came with is indepensable to someone trying to complete a doll! The Face Picture help identify dolls by hairstyle and makeup..I cannot praise this book enough! It also is a great "Wish Book"!