Mattel-Barbie Doll
Fashion Doll in the minds of doll collectors connotes primarily two dolls: for the antique doll collector the word French precedes
the phrase but for any other doll collector, or anyone born after 1960, the term stands for one doll: Barbie!
in 1945, Mattel was named for Harold MATTson and Ruth and ELliot Handler. Primarily making picture frames, Mattson used
the scraps to make doll furniture. Shortly after the company started, Mattson left for health reasons. Elliot Handler created new
toys and Ruth marketed them. 1955 saw the riskiest move in marketing for the young company that paid big dividends: Mattel
sponsored a 15 minute segment of the Mickey Mouse Club. Mattel continued to grow from this exposure. 1958 saw the patent
for a new doll developed by Mattel indirectly in answer to Ruth's daughters interest in dolls and fashions somewhat older than
she was. The doll was developed as a teenage doll with all the clothes and accessories to allow the child to pretend to be the
teen age fashion queen. Their daughter's name became a household name-Barbie. In 1960 their son's name would also be a
household name-Ken. The Barbie "family" has many members including Skipper, Francie, Tutti and Todd and Jazzie. Of
course there is her boyfriend Ken. Their friends include Ricky, Skooter, Fluff, Tiff, Ginger, Scott, Courtney, and Casey; Chris,
Dude, Stacie and Chelsea; Allan, Brad, Curtis, Todd, Derek, Steven, Midge, Christie, Stacey, P.J., Jamie, Steffie, Kelley, Cara,
Tracy, Miko, Dana, Dee Dee, Diva, Whitney, Teresa, Bopsy, Becky, Belinda, Kayla, Deyon and most celebrities of the 1960s.
Barbie had multiple toys, pets, houses, cars, careers and many many clothes.
Mattel's official site, www.barbiecollector.com, (then click on showcase) is a broad, informative and picture filled site of
information for this very special area of doll collecting. The showcase section identifies the different dolls and the fashions from
the 1960s and early 1970s including all the accessories.
Since Mattel has such a comprehensive pictorial essay of the early dolls and their wardrobe, this site showcases my Barbie
collection built at the time as I was born about the same time as Barbie. During this time, not only were the manufactured
clothes and accessories popular, but patterns were available for home production as many mothers of the 1950s and early
1960s still sewed at home! My mother was one of those home sewers. She was raised at the time (in the 1920s) when a girl
graduated high school by demonstrating the ability to roll a perfect handkerchief hem, sew a wardrobe etc. What is special
about these home made masterpieces are that they were made from scraps of my clothes and my mother's and sister's clothes.
The doll's wedding dress is a reproduction of my sister's wedding dress right down to the tiny seed pearls. Barbie's mink stole
was made from my mother's mink coat when it was cut down. Silk and satin were the real thing and the sewing techniques
were the same as that for adult clothes. I can't even see those seams any more much less sew them!
Enjoy this authentic walk through the early 1960s.
PS my mother not only graduated from high school but was one of the few women to graduate from St. Louis University with a
degree in Medical Technology in the late 1930s.
DeWein, Sibyl; and Ashabraner, J. The Collectors Encyclopedia of Barbie Dolls and Collectibles. Collector Books. Paducah,
Ky. 1977.
Mandeville, Glen. Doll Fashion Anthology. Hobby House Press. Cumberland Md. 1990.
www.Mattel.com then barbie, collector and showcase.
the phrase but for any other doll collector, or anyone born after 1960, the term stands for one doll: Barbie!
in 1945, Mattel was named for Harold MATTson and Ruth and ELliot Handler. Primarily making picture frames, Mattson used
the scraps to make doll furniture. Shortly after the company started, Mattson left for health reasons. Elliot Handler created new
toys and Ruth marketed them. 1955 saw the riskiest move in marketing for the young company that paid big dividends: Mattel
sponsored a 15 minute segment of the Mickey Mouse Club. Mattel continued to grow from this exposure. 1958 saw the patent
for a new doll developed by Mattel indirectly in answer to Ruth's daughters interest in dolls and fashions somewhat older than
she was. The doll was developed as a teenage doll with all the clothes and accessories to allow the child to pretend to be the
teen age fashion queen. Their daughter's name became a household name-Barbie. In 1960 their son's name would also be a
household name-Ken. The Barbie "family" has many members including Skipper, Francie, Tutti and Todd and Jazzie. Of
course there is her boyfriend Ken. Their friends include Ricky, Skooter, Fluff, Tiff, Ginger, Scott, Courtney, and Casey; Chris,
Dude, Stacie and Chelsea; Allan, Brad, Curtis, Todd, Derek, Steven, Midge, Christie, Stacey, P.J., Jamie, Steffie, Kelley, Cara,
Tracy, Miko, Dana, Dee Dee, Diva, Whitney, Teresa, Bopsy, Becky, Belinda, Kayla, Deyon and most celebrities of the 1960s.
Barbie had multiple toys, pets, houses, cars, careers and many many clothes.
Mattel's official site, www.barbiecollector.com, (then click on showcase) is a broad, informative and picture filled site of
information for this very special area of doll collecting. The showcase section identifies the different dolls and the fashions from
the 1960s and early 1970s including all the accessories.
Since Mattel has such a comprehensive pictorial essay of the early dolls and their wardrobe, this site showcases my Barbie
collection built at the time as I was born about the same time as Barbie. During this time, not only were the manufactured
clothes and accessories popular, but patterns were available for home production as many mothers of the 1950s and early
1960s still sewed at home! My mother was one of those home sewers. She was raised at the time (in the 1920s) when a girl
graduated high school by demonstrating the ability to roll a perfect handkerchief hem, sew a wardrobe etc. What is special
about these home made masterpieces are that they were made from scraps of my clothes and my mother's and sister's clothes.
The doll's wedding dress is a reproduction of my sister's wedding dress right down to the tiny seed pearls. Barbie's mink stole
was made from my mother's mink coat when it was cut down. Silk and satin were the real thing and the sewing techniques
were the same as that for adult clothes. I can't even see those seams any more much less sew them!
Enjoy this authentic walk through the early 1960s.
PS my mother not only graduated from high school but was one of the few women to graduate from St. Louis University with a
degree in Medical Technology in the late 1930s.
DeWein, Sibyl; and Ashabraner, J. The Collectors Encyclopedia of Barbie Dolls and Collectibles. Collector Books. Paducah,
Ky. 1977.
Mandeville, Glen. Doll Fashion Anthology. Hobby House Press. Cumberland Md. 1990.
www.Mattel.com then barbie, collector and showcase.
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