( 
)
The History of Vintage BARBIE Timeline GUIDE 1959 -1971
This guide is for the person wants to know the history of Barbie and possibly identify what year Barbie doll they might be selling of intersted in purchasing.
THE FIRST BARBIES No. 1 and No. 2
Ok let's start with the first BARBIE , a doll created by Mattel after Ruth Handler, co-founbder and owner of Mattel, in 1956 saw a Lilli Doll in a toy store in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Barbie had her debut in 1959 at the New York Toy Fair.
- The first Barbie or No. 1 Barbie had a top knot ponytail in shades of blonde and brunette. She also had holes in the bottom of her feet with metal cylinders to attach the doll to a black metal stand. Also a no. 1 has no blue color in her eyes, the iris is actually white.
- At the end of 1959 the second type of Barbie came on the market, the No. 2 Barbie . The ONLY difference from the first doll was that she no longer had the holes and metal cylinders in her feet.
Barbie No. 3 and No. 4
1960 marked the introduction of the #3 Barbie, the doll now had blue Irises and curved eyebrows. Also, no. 3 Barbies came with brown eyeliner and some with blue. These dolls, because of the plastic used also tend to fade to an alabaster white which I love. PPS: As far as Barbie Boxes go, the first barbie boxes were marked with a little TM and late 1959 on show an R instead. All of these first boxes 1959-61 also have in the middle of them an image of the Gay Parisienne outfit, an outfit only made one year which is navy with white poka dots and a bubble skirt. The later 1962 boxes for Barbie no longer have this outfit in the middle.
The no. 4 Barbie is identical in looks as the No.3 but made from a different plastic that didn't fade. Often collectors will find 'transitional' dolls that show fading on some part of the body. Another note about the No. 3 and No. 4 is that they feel heavy because they are less hollow and smell like crayola crayons. Those of you who had crayons in the 60's and 70's will know what I mean.,
Barbie meets Ken , dyes her hair RED, and gets a BUBBLE cut in 1961
- Ken is introduced with fuzzy flocked hair in 1961 available in Blond or Black (or Brown as a department store special).
- Barbie's new body is hollow and she now comes with RED HAIR.
- The Bubble Cut hair style on Barbie is introduced!
- Most of the Barbies from 1961 have BRIGHT RED LIPS
- Most have a greasy shine to the skin which was caused by chemical reactions in the plastic of some of the doll head in 1961.
Barbie No. 5
Ken paints his hair on and Barbie changes her lipstick!
Ken now has painted hair in blond and brunette. Barbie is now wearing ared swim suit as opposed to her black and white striped bathing suit from 1959. The Gay Parisienne Outfit is gone from her box cover and her lipstick now varies from bright red to pink shades.Barbie meets MIDGE in 1963
Girlfriend Midge comes on the scene. She has freckles and a flip. Two RARE versions of her are- with teeth
- without freckles
Also some some aother interesting fact for this year are that Ken comes on a 1/4 inch shorter body with more pronounced kneecaps and even the feet look more "footlike" with flesh on them.
Barbie also gets a job babysitting and a new baby from "Barbie Babysits" No. 953 is born.
Barbie bends her Knees in 1964
SKIPPER and ALLAN come into the picture
& Barbie gets her SWIRL on
Miss Barbie is introduced with sleep-eyes (the close when you lay her down) and she has new mobililty with bendable knees.notes about MISS BARBIE :
- hard to find without melt marks on her head because the hard plastic of her face reacts with the chemicals of the soft plastic of her wigs.
- Her neck knob on the body is smaller because of the room needed for the sleep eyes.
- she was not a very popular doll in 64.
Skipper comes with a metalllic headband that can cause her head and hair to discolor.
BARBIE IS NOW BEING SOLD IN EUROPE in 1964 and she has a new SWIRL hairstyle!
- The Brunette Swirl Ponytail Barbies sold in Europe as well as the Brunette
Bubbles (in Europe and Canada) come dressed in
Fashion Queen (Gold and White) bathing suits with No. 1 Barbie shoes (holes in the bottoms of the shoes) Reugualr shoes are on the dolls in Canada. - FASHION QUEEN BARBIES come with Gold and White Bathing suits and molded hair some you can put wigs on them.
Barbie 1965
Barbie, Midge, Ken, Allan and Skipper all have bendable legs now and she has a brqnd new hairdo.The AMERICAN GIRL Barbie is Born!
She also comes with orange lips now as well as her deep red.
Skipper is now being sold in Japan with instead of Blue Irises her eyes are painted black and white and sold as a dressed doll.
The 1965 American Girl Barbie tends to have a shorter pageboy style with less hair ros in the back of her head - say one or two. Her hair is also wirey in many cases, not soft.
Sidepart Bubbles come into existance, an unusual bubble with a side part (and I mean obvious with the rows of hair creating the part thickly and again obviously)
Barbie 1966
The Barbie Collector Confusion Year!
Several types of Barbies emerge from the American Girl of 1965. The most sought after being the SIDEPART AMERICAN GIRL , which has an elaborate hairstyle longer, parted way to the far left (if your barbie) and curved under on the ends.
- the RAREST Sidepart Barbie comes from Japan with a pinker skin tone than the American Version
- The Japanese sidepart also comes on a pink straight leg body.
- ORIGINAL Sidepart Barbies hairline is not 'V' shaped in front of the ear, while hairline fakes have to fill in the holes left over from the original hairdo. Remember this when examining a Sipepart.
- The HIGH COLOR AMERICAN GIRL also harder to find shows up with more vivid makeup and longer hair! (MY FAVORITE BARBIE ITEM)
- A few bendable barbies are found with Swirl heads and their American girl boxes are marked "ponytail"
- SIDEPART BUBBLES with bendable legs are found
- At the end of the year a very unsual barbie is sold, comes on a regualr bendleg body that has an unusal pink tone. Her head is about the same is next year's standard Barbie, only it looks a bit wider and she comes in many different hair colors. The hair material is very coarse and her box is the same as the regular bendleg barbie only with a little sticker on the top ofthe box that says her stock number is (#1163)
- COLOR MAGIC Barbie comes to town with changable hair color (her hair being bright unnatural shades of yellow, ruby, orange and black)
- Midnight black changing to Ruby Red is the RARE VERSION of the Color Magic Barbie
- Most Color Magic Barbie have bright vivid makeup while few have the older style of smaller lips and in pastel colors that often fade.
- In Japan Midge looses her freckels on her bendleg body with a new head mold which is rare to find today
- Scooter, Skippers friend gets bendable legs also
- FRANCIE , Barbie's cousin also comes on the scene! She is the FIRST doll with real eyelashes. However, the first version of Francie released comes with bendable or straight legs (only she has painted on eyelashes contray to the description on her box)
- some Brunette Francies sold in Japan have blue eyes instead of the usual brown
- TUTTI and TODD , tiny new siblings of Barbie emerge
Barbie changes her style in 1967
- Barbie's plastic lashes are replaced with rooted ones!
- she gets a new Twist 'N Turn TNT) Body!
- A trade in Barbie is offered which has a new head mold for barbie on body that doesn't have bend legs, TNT waist or lashes, just pink skin tone. A STANDARD Barbie.
- Francie get two new friends, CASEY and TWIGGY ! Casey looks like Twiggy except her hair is longer and Twiggy has heavier makeup.
- the RAREST version of the FRANCIE doll of 1967 is the black version of this doll (BLACK FRANCIE)
BARBIE can TALK in 1968
- Barbie get a string on her back you pull and she can talk! Most of these talkers are mute today because of deteriorating rubber bands. Another problem with these talkers is that their limbs fall off easily or melt into the body. A trick if you find one with legs that wont move is to soak the legs in hot water before attempting to move them.
- Barbie's new friend STACEY speaks with a Britsh accent.
- Twist and Turn Barbie gets a new swimsuit with a belt (hard to find)
- Tutti gets her own personality doll, BUFFY from Mrs. Beasley from Family Affair.
Barbie get more Personailty in 1969
- Truly Scrumptious from Chitty Bang Bang with head from the Francie head mold
- JULIA Barbie is introduced also
- PJ comes on the scene
- Also Twist Barbie as well as Francie and Stacey change their hairdo's to shorter curier new look
- Ken comes back with a 'totally' new look talking
Barbie becomes 'living' in 1970
- living barbie comes to town
- bendleg and Talking Brad , the first black male boyfriend for Christie comes to town
- Sear Exclusive JAMIE walks
- Talking Barbie gets a new shorter hairdo
- Julia is sold in new one piece nurse outift
- Hair Happenin's Francie and Francie with Growing Pretty Hair are introduced
BARBIE gets Groovy & Francie gets RARE in 1971
- LIVE ACTION BARBIE , Ken, PJ and Hard to find Christie get groovy with a battery operated stage.
- Barbie Hair Happenin's with short red hair hard to find
- Barbie gets centered eyes in Standard, TNT, Talking and Hair Fair versions of the doll
- the RARE NO BANGS FRANCIE shows up and leaves within the year!
- Talking Julia goes for a new hairdo more bubble like
I hope this guide was informative and helpful, please check out my other guides and don't forget to cast your vote if you learned something and I was helpful.
Guide created: 10/12/06 (updated 08/28/09)
Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our 
