Silken Flame

Vintage Barbie illustrations, built environment, clones and more

  • Welcome!

    Thanks for swinging by my vintage Barbie fan site, where you’ll find articles on Barbie’s built environment, Barbie illustrations, vintage rival and clone dolls and playsets, and miscellaneous musings/deep dives. What are you looking for?

    Color illustrations of Barbie and Midge from little Mattel fashion booklets that came with the dolls. Shown are: Sheath Sensation, Red Flare, Dinner at Eight, Sweater Girl, Career Girl, Movie Date, and Senior Prom.

    Vintage Barbie Illustrations

    Plus the illustration “sidebars,” short entries on niche topics:

    Barbie Family Deluxe House exterior bearing illustration showing a yellow brick house with two pairs of doors: arched, louvered red doors with rectangular shutters to either side, and arched glass doors. Skipper, Tutti and cat cavort on a brick path leading to the red doors. Through the glass doors walks Barbie, holding a tray of drinks, onto a fieldstone pation on which Francie sits at a white circular table with umbrella and two wrought iron chairs. Greenery surrounds them. A dog sits close to Francie in the extreme foreground.

    Barbie’s Built Environment

    3 shots of doll penthouses. L: color catalog image with caption reading "Here's Tressy's modern penthouse apartment." C: Jamie stands inside her "Party Penthouse" case. R: Photograph from the front of Tuesday Taylor's pentouse packaging shows Tuesday seated inside her structure.

    Articles relating to clones, rivals, and off-brand Barbie-style products

    Four images of Sixties Sparkles nostalgic Black Barbie wearing: her original swimsuit; reproduction of the red swimsuit worn by vintage bubble cut and swirl ponytail Barbies; white pak playsuit; and the 12 Days of Christmas (2022) Belle dress).

    Miscellaneous Musings and Deep Dives

    There’s still more to come, but before you scroll away, here’s the first image ever posted to this blog back in 2022: some of my dolls, dressed in vintage or vintage reproduction, in front of backgrounds belonging to Bill Cotter:

    Four vintage or reproduction dolls in front of 1950s-1960s photographs of Disneyland. Counterclockwise from top left, vintage Walking Jamie in Studio Tour crosses in front of Tomorrowland, with the Clock of the World, Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, and Douglas rocket visible. Next, reproduction My Favorite 1981 Black Barbie in vintage Red Flare in front of Fantasyland, with the Matterhorn, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Sky Buckets visible. Third, vintage bubble cut Barbie in Crisp 'n' Cool stands in front of the Monorail and Autopia sign in Tomorrowland. Finally, reproduction blonde Stacey from the Nite Lightning set, wearing the Matinee Fashion dress from the reproduction 1965 My Favorite American Girl set, along with short white gloves and gold dimpled clutch.
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  • Sidebar: Barbie Sings! (1961)
    An album cover. Blonde ponytail Barbie is shown in closeup profile, wearing pearls. Ken and a band are behind her. The text reads: Barbie (R) sings! MATTEL, INC. TOYMAKERS 45 RPM 6 terrific teen-age tunes sung by Barbie (R) and Ken TM (and you can sing along, too!)
    Cover of the Barbie Sings! record set from 1961. Source: mgrant4743 on eBay

    I stumbled across an interesting eBay listing over the weekend: a set of 45 rpm records from 1961, “sung” by Barbie and Ken (the back cover identifies the real singers as “lovely Charlotte Austin” and “handsome young Bill Cunningham”). The record jacket and lyrics pages are illustrated and make for a nice mini-update.

    Two pages of a lyrics booklet are shown. At left are lyrics to a song called "recipe for instant love." An illustration shows Barbie and Ken sharing a moment by moonlight. Barbie is dressed in an unknown lacy blue dress--think Plantation Belle in pastel blue--with white gloves an a white picture hat with green ribbon. At right, lyrics from a song entitled "my first date" are accompanied by an illustration of Barbie in the "Let's Dance!" fashion dancing with Ken, and Barbie tucked in bed, asleep.
    Illustrated lyrics included in the the Barbie Sings! record set from 1961. Source: mgrant4743 on eBay

    Jodi Benson, best known as the voice of Ariel, The Little Mermaid, has recalled in interviews that as she was preparing to voice Barbie for the Toy Story series, someone from Mattel told her that she would be the very first actress to give voice to this iconic character. Benson found that amusing because she’d heard exactly the same spiel when she voiced Barbie for a 1991 aerobics video (“Dance! Workout with Barbie“). I was aware of a few earlier examples of Barbie’s voice–the doll herself was speaking way back in 1968!–but this set of records may actually be the very first time that Barbie had a voice.

    Two pages of a lyrics booklet are shown. At left is a song title--"the busy buzz"--with a full page illustration of Barbie wearing "Cotton Casual" and holding a phone to her ear. At right are song lyrics with a sketch of Ken in "Campus Hero," also using a phone.
    Illustrated lyrics included in the the Barbie Sings! record set from 1961. Source: mgrant4743 on eBay

    The six songs in the set were written especially for Barbie and Ken. Luckily for those of us without record players, today we can hear Barbie sing! on YouTube, and the songs are better than I expected. Austin’s singing style is more Doris Day than Annette Funicello. You can hear a sample, plus view some additional illustrations and very limited animations, in this lovely TV commercial:

    Barbie Sings! commercial uploaded by Harold on YouTube

    See more images from this curiosity on the eBay listing.

    Where to next? This post is an illustration “sidebar,” meaning short and sweet. Our most popular sidebar is on Barbie and friends illustrations on mod house exteriors, while the most recent investigates Window Shopping. The top post on the entire site concerns shoes; or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Whitman paper dolls (1967-1973)
    Nine Whitman paper dolls, shown from about the waist up, are composited into one image.
    Barbie paper dolls from Whitman sets released during the years 1967-1973. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    During Barbie’s mod years, the Whitman illustrators experimented with a diversity of art styles, demonstrated in the collage of Barbie paper dolls above. (If a couple of them look like Stacey to you, let me reassure you that Whitman identified all as Barbie herself–we’ll see Stacey in a moment.)

    Starting with the “Barbie has a New Look” set in 1967, fresh illustration styles were demonstrated on the folder art as well as on the dolls and fashions.

    Illustrations inside the folder that contained the paper dolls. On the left half, a TNT-style Barbie is shown wearing 1967's Caribbean Cruise and dusting a coffee table. A sofa, chair, brick fireplace and cat wallhangings can also be seen. At the bottom the text reads "Put Dolls in This Handy Carry-Pocket." At right, TNT-style Barbie, wearing a blue sheath with red apron and accessories, is shown cooking in a kitchen. The text reads "Put Clothes in This Handy Carry-Pocket."
    Inside the “Barbie has a New Look” folder from 1967. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    At the far end of the timeline, departing the mod era, a 1973 set called Barbie’s Friend Ship depicted the same-named play set from that year and can be used for dioramas recreating everyone’s favorite setting, the golden age of air travel.

    The folder for the 1973 Barbie's Friend Ship is used as a backdrop for a Barbie doll diorama. On the folder, a commercial aircraft interior from a bygone age is illustrated. On the left side is a service station showing a coffee pot on a range, towels, a first aid kit, stacked dishes, and storage for luggage and coats on hangers. On the right side, a booth with small table sits alongside small windows looking out at puffy clouds. A doll in air hostess uniform is posed with a service cart in front of the folder.
    The folder for Barbie’s Friend Ship from 1973. In front, the Avon Sales Rep doll wears parts of the 1973 United Airlines ensemble, along with the boots from a 1972 shoe pak. The cart, from the Barbie’s Friend Ship play set, bears additional pieces of the paper doll set as well as some LEGO bits and bobs. From the author’s collection.

    In addition to its range of artistic sensibilities, the mod years also introduced an unprecedented number of friends for Barbie. In the paper doll world, she explored fashion alongside Christie, Stacey, P.J., Francie, Casey and Ken (Skipper made her return with the Malibu look in ’73). A Francie and Casey set from 1967 reproduced many of the same outfits as the “Barbie has a New Look” set–but now they were Francie-sized.

    Two Francie and two Casey paper dolls are shown wearing the 1967 Color Magic outfits Pretty Wild, Bloom Bursts, Stripes Away and Smart Switch. Lying around their feet are 1966-67 outfits that came with them, but would normally fit Barbie: Lunch on the Terrace, Sunflower, Junior Designer, Fashion Shiner, Studio Tour, Music Center Matinee, International Fair, Travel Togethers, Beau Time, and Patio Party. The folder propped up behind them also shows, among its illustrations, Casey in Tropicana.
    Francie and Casey paper dolls from the 1967 Whitman set, dressed in Color Magic fashions that came with their set. Other normally-Barbie-sized fashions from the set are spread at their feet. From the author’s collection.

    Of course, Francie and Casey still dressed like themselves, sometimes, too.

    The Francie doll from the "Floating In" reproduction set wears the Sun Spots dress and shoes next to a Francie paper doll in Sun Spots; A vintage Francie doll and paper doll both model Side Kick; and a vintage Casey and Casey paper doll (brunette and blonde, respectively) both wear Iced Blue--though the paper doll is missing her tights and shoes. In the background, the set's folder can be seen. Close inspection of the folder shows illustrations of Francie and Casey in Sun Spots and Side Kick; Francie in Borderline; Casey in Quick Shift; and Francie in the Barbie Fashion Studio Tour. The rest of the folder is obscured by the posed dolls.
    Francie and Casey dolls from the 1967 Whitman set, along with their respective inspirations in matching fashions. From the author’s collection.

    A 1968 “Barbie Christie Stacey” set claimed that “All fashions fit each doll.” However, a couple of the fashions revealed distinctly lighter skin. I overlaid Fancy Dancy and Extravaganza on Stacey and Christie, below, and digitally corrected the skin tone on Extravaganza to suit Christie.

    Page from the 1968 Whitman paper doll set featuring the Stacey and Christie dolls. Text at the top reads, "All fashions fit each doll." The Fancy Dancy and Extravaganza fashions that came in that paper doll set are digitally overlaid on the two dolls, with the Extravaganza fashion modified so that the shoulder area's skin tone matches Christie. The sheer tights of Fancy Dancy also reveal pale skin.
    Stacey and Christie from the 1968 Whitman “Barbie Christie Stacey” paper doll set, overlaid with digitally-altered fashions from the same. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    Both Fancy Dancy and Extravaganza appeared in multiple paper doll sets during the mod years.

    Barbie’s friend P.J. had multiple Whitman sets all to herself for some reason.

    The 1970 P.J. paper doll and her folder are shown. On the doll and an illustration on the folder, P.J. is seen wearing oversized glasses and a bored expression.
    P.J. anticipating “Hipster Ariel” in a 1970 Whitman set. Source: wehavestufftoo on eBay.

    While the fashion booklets switched to using photographs in the late Sixties, the paper doll sets remained a resource for illustrated fashions. The sets I surveyed from 1967-1971 depicted a higher proportion of genuine Mattel Barbie fashions than did the sets I previously surveyed from 1965 and earlier; we can revisit some of our favorite mod looks as we explore the variety of art styles.

    Two Whitman paper dolls composited with fashions from their sets: at left, Barbie in Intrigue; at right, Christie in Twinkle Togs.
    Two paper dolls from Whitman Barbie sets produced in 1967 and 1971, overlaid with fashions that came with them. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    Above, the lushness of the 1967 “Barbie has a New Look” set is contrasted with the flat graphic style of the 1971 “World of Barbie” set, with the 1967 doll modeling the “Intrigue” fashion and 1971’s Christie modeling the 1968 fashion “Twinkle Togs.” Both of these fashions were available in other late Sixties Whitman sets, as well.

    1969 brought us at least two renderings of the Sears exclusive Twinkle Town, these two demonstrating the loosest and tightest art styles I found in the mod years:

    Two Whitman Barbie paper dolls, both overlaid with different examples of the Twinkle Town fashion
    Two paper dolls from Whitman Barbie sets produced in 1969, overlaid with fashions that came with them. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    In 1971 Barbie got very nautical, wearing her own See Worthy fashion and Francie’s Land Ho!, both from 1969, in a single Whitman set. See Worthy occurred several times in these sets.

    A Whitman Barbie paper doll is shown digitally overlaid with the Land Ho! Francie fashion; next to the doll, the See Worthy Barbie fashion is also shown. Simple flower illustrations surround the doll and fashions.
    A Whitman Barbie paper doll from 1971 accompanied by two of her fashions. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    Barbie’s licensed acquaintances had non-Mattel Whitman sets of their own: Julia (Diahann Carroll’s television character) and Twiggy each had at least two sets in 1968 and 1967, respectively, and Truly Scrumptious appeared in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang set in 1968.

    Three non-Mattel, but Barbie-affiliated, Whitman paper dolls from the late 1960s are composited into a single image
    Whitman also interpreted Twiggy, Julia and Truly Scrumptious. Sources: onceagain34 on eBay, onceagain34 on eBay, albertacus on eBay.

    You can also find Marlo Thomas as “That Girl,” regarded by many as an inspiration for Barbie’s late-Sixties look, in a 1967 set, along with countless other fashion icons of the era. I won’t belabor the point since it’s veering off topic, but one of Twiggy’s sets in particular is a mod dream. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Set, as you may imagine, is not especially modern.

    Play us out, 1967 Barbie has a New Look!

    Illustration of mod-era Barbie, wearing Patio Party (1967) and hanging paper lanterns
    Illustration from the “Barbie has a New Look” Whitman paper doll folder from 1967. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.

    Where to next?

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  • The Many Abodes of Barbie, Part I: 1962

    It’s 1962 and the Teen-Age Fashion Model is moving into her Dream House. One might be surprised to learn that the home of Barbie’s dreams consists of just one room, equipped with a twin bed, an entertainment system and a variety of seating. It’s breathtakingly modest–but then, for a single young woman of the time period, it’s quite luxurious in another sense.

    Interior shot of the 2020 reproduction of Barbie’s 1962 Dream House. Source: Mattel.

    Respectable young women of the early ’60s did not simply move into their own homes to live alone. When young Betsey Johnson completed a Mademoiselle internship in the summer of 1964 and accepted a full-time role at the magazine, her parents insisted that she continue living in a “hotel for women” like the Barbizon, where Mademoiselle had housed her cohort. In her memoir, Johnson remembers the hotel (which was really short-term housing) this way:

    The Barbizon was like a fortress. There were signs all over the place: No Men Allowed! It was all very uptown and white gloves, a very ladylike, straight-arrow type of place.

    -Betsey Johnson, Betsey: A Memoir

    Johnson doesn’t devote too much space to the Barbizon or her subsequent lodging (which was similarly strait-laced; she struggled with the curfew and was eventually evicted for smoking), but Sylvia Plath went through the Mademoiselle internship a decade earlier and described life at the Barbizon in The Bell Jar. In Plath’s time the rooms were singles–Johnson had a roommate–and the bathroom was down the hall; meals were held in a communal space.

    (Another Mademoiselle internship alumna from the Fifties who’s written about her experiences is iconic Barbie designer Carol Spencer.)

    A couple of years after Johnson was hired at Mademoiselle, in 1966, protagonist Ann Marie’s solo move to the city to pursue an acting career drives much of the tension on the sitcom “That Girl.” Marie’s disapproving parents make frequent visits and phone calls to assure themselves she hasn’t fallen into prostitution (Plath remembered the Barbizon’s clientele as “girls my age with wealthy parents who wanted to be sure their daughters would be living where men couldn’t get at them and deceive them” while they attended secretarial school or worked in office jobs, waiting for marriage proposals). Played by Marlo Thomas, Marie has a fully-equipped, multi-room apartment all to herself, but clearly the idea seemed quite daring to the show’s creators. Incidentally, the Barbizon was used for exterior shots of Marie’s building, although she did not reside in a hotel for women: her neighbors included men and families.

    Back in 1962, Barbie enjoyed an unusual level of freedom.

    So, was Barbie’s very first Dream House located in a hotel for women? On reflection, the answer is probably not–those accommodations were hardly “houses,” and the exterior of Barbie’s house suggests a suburban home with a grassy lawn. Barbie’s original Dream House would be better described as a cottage.

    The original 1962 Dream House exterior. Source: castasidebeauty on eBay.

    During the first US Census taken after the opening of the Barbizon, in 1930, one of the hotel’s residents was a fashion model (along with a singer, a statistician and others; per “A Room of her Own” by Qianye Yu). It’s notable that Barbie was able to keep her career going from this suburban sanctuary… but maybe that was the dream.

    Next time: Barbie gets a roommate (or two).

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  • Visions of After Five
    The new Silkstone doll. Source: Mattel.
    Sketch from a 1962 booklet. Author’s collection.
    Barbie jumbo trading card #154. Source: joeslist.com.
    A fashion from a 1962 Whitman Barbie paper doll set superimposed on a 1963 Whitman Barbie paper doll, both as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34
    1963 Barbie and Midge lunch box. Source: member_12364 on eBay.
    Illustration included in a 1963 Whitman Barbie, Midge and Ken paper doll set as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34
    Excerpt from the 1964 JCPenney Christmas catalog. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com.
    1990 Barbie trading card. Source: eBay user river_creek_designs.
    The author’s “bubble cut” dolls, one dressed in After Five, in front of a background belonging to Bill Cotter
    Human-sized reproduction by Unique Vintage.

    Where to next? Have visions of Solo in the Spotlight; envision After Five one more time in the Keys to Fame board game; or go up to the Table of Contents.

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  • Whitman paper dolls (1962-1965)
    Four Whitman Barbie paper doll book covers as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    One of the deepest wells of vintage Barbie fashion sketches must be Whitman paper dolls–if you agree that they have a place alongside all the art that came straight from Mattel. Whitman had paper dolls on many subjects, from Kim Novak to Marlo Thomas to Twiggy and far beyond, and it’s perfectly possible that the Barbie sets share more DNA with those non-Mattel Whitman items than they do with non-Whitman, Mattel Barbie sketches. Whatever the case may be, I like the sets and think their aesthetic fits nicely alongside other Barbie illustrations.

    Fortunately for us, a wealth of the vintage paper dolls are still floating around sites like eBay, and a few enterprising individuals are even selling homemade reproductions of the 1960s originals. For this exploration I am focusing on the product of a single reproduction seller. I don’t know her and am not affiliated with her, but her extensive collection and high-quality images form a very convenient resource.

    Pages from a 1962 Whitman Barbie paper doll set reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    You could probably write a whole chapter on the art in the Whitman paper doll sets without even mentioning the dolls or the fashions they wore: alongside the dolls and fashions are a wealth of other interesting illustrations of the life, times and surroundings of Barbie and her friends, as you see illustrated above and below.

    Pages from a 1962 Whitman Barbie paper doll set reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    But maybe we’re here to talk fashions. Above, an illustration accompanying a paper doll set shows Barbie trying on Garden Party. Around her room we also see a dress that may be Dancing Doll, some possible pak belts, and a number of closed-toe shoes–improbable for Barbie in 1962, but that’s a topic for another post.

    In the paper doll sets I browsed I found dozens of recognizable Barbie fashions. Here’s a sampling:

    Collage of fashions from 1962-1965 Whitman Barbie paper doll sets reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    A funny thing happened to the After Five fashion in 1962, when it was reimagined to have a trim, sheath skirt with full sheer overskirt–reminiscent of the Orange Blossom silhouette.

    A fashion from a 1962 Whitman Barbie paper doll set superimposed on a 1963 Whitman Barbie paper doll, both as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    I think it’s an improvement!

    A Barbie and Skipper set from 1964 was full of their real-life matched ensembles. Do you know what Skipper look corresponds to Barbie’s Solo in the Spotlight? I didn’t.

    Fashions from a 1964 Whitman Barbie and Skipper paper doll set overlaid on dolls from the same set, all as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    (The answer, above, is Ballet Class.)

    Just as often, the paper doll fashions appear to be originals–maybe designed by someone at Whitman? We know so little about the sources of these illustrations. But often, the new fashions are great–some worthy of OOAK projects, in my opinion. One 1963 set is packed with stylish, elsewhere-nonexistent fashions for Barbie and Midge. I didn’t recognize a single one of the styles in this set as one that was sold for the real Barbie and Midge:

    Fashions from a 1963 Whitman Barbie, Midge and Ken paper doll set overlaid on dolls from that set, all as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    …and yet, oddly enough, the very same set includes an illustration of a drafting table surrounded by fashion sketches, all depicting legitimate, Mattel Barbie fashions.

    Illustration included in a 1963 Whitman Barbie, Midge and Ken paper doll set as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    I’m no Ken aficionado, but I did see one Mattel Ken fashion I recognized replicated in this set–although I sort of wish I hadn’t seen it.

    Fashions from a 1963 Whitman Barbie, Midge and Ken paper doll set overlaid on dolls from that set, all as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    Why is he brandishing that around Barbie and Midge?? Different times. Wash your eyes with some svelte styles from Barbie’s 1964 travel wardrobe:

    Fashions from a 1964 Barbie paper doll set as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    A “Wedding Dress ‘n’ Fashion Clothes” set from the same year featured mostly new creations for Barbie with a similar aesthetic. These samples also offer a glimpse of the many small touches adorning some of the Whitman pages, that I didn’t have space to detail here.

    Page from a 1964 Whitman Barbie paper doll set as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34

    The fun didn’t stop in 1965; the next sets take Barbie and friends into their mod years and beyond.

    Back covers from (left) a 1963 Whitman Barbie, Ken and Midge paper doll set and (right) a 1963 Whitman Midge paper doll set, both as reproduced by eBay user onceagain34
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  • Barbie on TV

    When Barbie turns on her TV, it’s usually to watch Barbie. The televisions of the early years are examples of Barbie’s built environment that double as Barbie illustrations.

    The earliest television we feature comes from the original 1962 Dream House. It is actually a TV-stereo combination, as a panel on the top opens to reveal a turntable.

    Possibly Barbie’s earliest TV appearance, as part of the 1962 Dream House. Excuse the busted legs on the set–those delicate, midcentury-fabulous legs of cardboard were not built to last.

    So what was Barbie watching on her dream TV? It looks like Bubble Cut Barbie in the Solo in the Spotlight fashion, beside the microphone from that set.

    Barbie’s TV debut?

    Barbie’s various domiciles boasted many other TV sets and programs over the years; up next, we’ll check out one from the 1964 “Leisure Hours” accessory set. A darker brown version for Ken was also sold in his “Party Fun” pak, beginning the same year. When Ken turned on the TV, it was also to watch Barbie.

    The Fashion Queen hits the airwaves. Note the metal antenna looks collapsible, but isn’t.

    There’s no context to suggest what sort of television program Barbie is appearing on here; the floating-head style of this illustration is reminiscent of the fashion booklets that came with dolls of the era.

    In 1964, Barbie also got an assortment of “Go-Together” furniture sets with partial walls (no floors). The year’s Christmas catalogs (this one is from wishbookweb.com) advertised a few sets:

    1964 Sears catalog excerpt. Source: wishbookweb.com

    In the top left panel, Barbie’s newest living room can be seen, with a small television set sitting on the floor (!) at lower right. But what’s on TV?

    The small, portable TV set Barbie kept on the floor during her Go-Together phase.

    This time, Barbie is watching a fashion show. One might argue that she’s not watching herself–it’s not clear the illustrated models are meant to suggest her, and the fashions don’t seem to refer to anything specific in her wardrobe. However, she WAS the Teen-Age Fashion Model, so we deem it likely that she appeared on screen at some point during this program.

    Barbie also watched herself on TV in the modestly-proportioned Barbie Family Deluxe House she shared with Skipper in 1965. At that link you can also see what Skipper was watching in her separately sold, considerably larger bedroom; we think that blonde singer isn’t Barbie (though we can’t be certain).

    Before we leave Barbie to watch her shows in peace, let’s fast forward to 1972 and Busy Barbie, who stayed busy in part by gripping the handles of included accessories such as her portable television set.

    A television for the fashionable young woman of 1972 to wield.

    On screen, Barbie is back at the microphone again, this time wearing Silver Serenade (1971-1972).

    Where to next? If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Not Barbie on TV; a roundup of fireplaces in Barbie and Barbie-sized houses, 1963-79; Go-Together furniture sets, illustrated; or check the Table of Contents for more fun.

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  • Jumbo trading cards (1962)
    Two cards show blonde ponytail Barbie in Silken Flame.
    Barbie jumbo trading cards #167 and #141. Source: joeslist.com.

    A treasure trove of rare vintage Barbie illustrations lies hidden deep within Joe Blitman’s website, Joe’s List: 67 jumbo trading cards produced by the Dynamic Toy company in 1962. These cards are scarce, but Joe and co. have kindly scanned and uploaded examples of almost all that were manufactured. (I believe–the numbering starts at 141, so it’s not crystal clear.)

    Barbie and Ken jumbo trading card #186. Source: joeslist.com.

    The cards were issued as two sets: Barbie cards, numbered 141-175, and Barbie+Ken cards, numbered 176-210. The backs of the cards contain advice or little vignettes, sometimes related to the illustration, sometimes not. Depicted on card 186, above, is Barbie showing Ken how she’s paired the Silken Flame cocktail dress with a daring red slip; on the flipside, the reader is advised to “be yourself.” Card 194 describes how Ken’s artistic passion is ignited when he sees a painting of a clown, and card 206 weaves another fascinating tale:

    In card 206, brunette ponytail Barbie in a red polka dot sheath helps Ken into an apron. In card 194, a dark-haired bubble cut Barbie admires a small, framed landscape painting while Ken ponders a portrait of a clown.
    Barbie+Ken jumbo trading cards #206 and #194. Source: joeslist.com.

    …He insists that men make the best cooks, anyhow. “Do you know of any restaurant or hotel with a lady chef?”

    It’s fun because Ken refutes a sexist stereotype with other sexism.

    Joe Blitman’s scans include all the vignettes and advice blurbs, in addition to the illustrations.

    Barbie jumbo trading cards #166 and #158. Source: joeslist.com

    The cards offer a unique glimpse into Barbie’s day-to-day existence, whether she’s primping at the hall mirror before stepping out in Red Flare, as in card #166, or noting a flyer for a fashion show while wearing Sorority Meeting, as in card #158. Sometimes the cards also raise questions. Did Barbie really don After Five for a daytime stroll in the park, as seen on card #154? Or get decked out in Sheath Sensation to sit around playing solitaire as in #143? In the latter case I speculate that that good-for-nothing Ken fellow stood her up–but the blurb on the back of that particular card gives no insight.

    Barbie jumbo trading cards #154 and #143. Source: joeslist.com.

    It’s not too surprising that Joe shares an incomplete set of cards–if recent eBay sales are any indication, you could spend literal hundreds of dollars getting your last three of these rarities. However, examples of the cards missing from Joe’s set can be found elsewhere with just a bit of searching. I love this one of Barbie in Evening Splendor:

    Barbie+Ken jumbo trading card #200. Source: pinterest.

    Mattel has also reproduced these cards… sort of. The illustrations have been used for convention-exclusive charm sets and charm bracelets a couple of times. These occasionally show up on eBay, far more accessibly priced than the originals.

    Convention-exclusive charm bracelet featuring jumbo trading card art. From a recent (sold) listing by eBay user morgaswindel0.

    That’s enough rambling from me. You can browse Joe’s entire collection of Barbie jumbo trading cards here, and his collection of Barbie+Ken cards here.

    Two cards showing blonde bubble cut Barbie in Enchanted Evening, escorted by a tuxedo-clad Ken
    Barbie+Ken jumbo trading cards #196 and #187. Source: joeslist.com.

    Where to next? Read about gift set art, 1960-70; browse our books for vintage Barbie fans; journey through the Many Abodes of Barbie; or head on up to the Table of Contents to see other possibilities.

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  • Sears Karosel Kitchen, 1971-1976
    Spread advertising the Karosel Kitchen in the 1971 Sears Wishbook. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com

    I’ve seen this funny little kitchen listed as a Barbie playset a couple times and was curious about it. I began my investigation with the handy catalog search feature of christmas.musetechnical.com. Although Sears was not shy about letting you know what doll might use the set, it turns out it was actually not Mattel- or Barbie-branded.

    According to the copy in 1971 (above), this kitchen set was based on one demonstrated at the 1970 World’s Fair. I didn’t find many resources about the World’s Fair kitchen prototype, but my searches did lead me to this amazingly detailed Google video about the toy:

    Lucky Penny Shop on Youtube explores the Sears Karosel Kitchen of the Future

    In the video the presenter guesses that he has an early version of the toy because it has a hand-turned crank to rotate the kitchen, instead of the futuristic push-button convenience of other models. However, the 1971 version already has the push-button; we’ll actually encounter the crank later. The presenter also speculates that a device on the middle column (visible on the catalog page at top) might be a microwave, but we know from the catalog copy that it is in fact a video phone. The opposite side of the column features a “computer,” visible in the 1972 wishbook:

    Excerpt from 1972 Sears Wishbook. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com

    This year the accessory set mentioned in the video was also introduced.

    While Walking Jamie advertised the kitchen in year one, this year we see Busy Barbie standing well back from the contraption–almost as if she knows which way that hot food on the range will go flying, should anyone press the “rotate” button.

    Busy Barbie is put through her paces in the 1973 catalog, operating the washer and dryer and manipulating various dishes.

    In 1974 the hand crank appears. This year the set is also produced in Singapore, rather than in Japan as in years previous.

    Excerpt from 1974 Sears Wishbook. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com

    The futuristic kitchen returned in 1975 and made its final appearance in 1976, demonstrated by Malibu Barbie. By 1970, adults were probably already aware that a spinning kitchen was not the way of the future; maybe by ’77 the kids were catching on, too.

    Where to next? Explore refined living in Penthouse apartments, 1964-76; check out another off-brand kitchen: The Deluxe Reading Dream Kitchen; on the illustration front, browse Mod-Era Whitman Paper Dolls; or just go up to the Table of Contents.

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