When was the first black Ken doll made?
1982: Sunsational Malibu Ken doll, the first African American Ken doll is introduced with a rooted Afro hairstyle.
Ken is a doll and fictional character introduced by Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Ken was invented by Elliot Handler.
The original Black Barbie made her debut in 1980. Though beloved friends of Barbie – like Christie and Francie -were introduced over the preceding decades, this was the first black fashion doll to be hailed as Barbie herself.
Ken is turning 60, two years after his best friend Barbie did. Mattel launched a reproduction of the original Ken doll on Thursday to mark his 1961 debut.
Customers can now choose from a number of Kens, including Black, Asian and Brown ones.
Dress Box Kens are the most valuable and hard-to-find Ken dolls. They were released between 1963 and '65 and there are 14 different versions in the series. Business Appointment Ken is also very rare, and was produced from 1966 to '67.
Show and Tell: how to identify vintage 1960's ken | ken mattel | male model
But Black Francie actually sells for more than Black Christie at $500 to $2,500 dollars, depending on condition. An NRFB (never removed from box) Black Christie once went for $599 on eBay.
In the 1960s, there were three black fashion dolls from Mattel: Francie (1967), Christie (1968), and Julia (1969). How strange, then, that it took more than a decade later before Barbie would reflect a whole different segment of the population. “Barbie offers a whole new way for children to imagine and play.
However, the first truly successfully mass-produced Black doll came more than 50 years later. Her name was Baby Nancy, produced by the Black California company, Shindana Toys.
What did the original Ken look like?
1961: First introduced at the American International Toy Fair as Barbie doll's boyfriend on March 11, 1961 Ken doll was 12 inches tall, had “molded” plastic hair (blond and brunette) and came dressed in red bathing suit trunks with a yellow towel and sandals.
There was also a Totally Hair Barbie Doll, but the Ken doll is the one that is considered a collector's item. If kept in great condition, it can sell up to $375 online. Just make sure everything from the original packaging is included.
According to the 1960s Random House books, Ken's full name is Kenneth Sean Carson.
Many consider Christie to be the first “Black Barbie.” Christie was part of a series of talking dolls. By pulling a string on her back, the doll said things like, “Hi! I'm Christie!” and “Let's go shopping with Barbie.” Christie's hair was black. (The Christie doll pictured has red hair because it has faded over time.)
She is "curvy" Barbie, actually. But "curvy" is code for fat, though Mattel is too polite to say so. Mattel has added three new body types to its Barbie Fashionistas line: tall, curvy and petite (code for short!). And yes, the original Barbie is still available, in all her long-legged, tiny-waisted, big-busted glory.
Recently Mattel launched a Mexican Barbie that caused a negative reaction in the Hispanic community. This new Latina Barbie is part of their new collection “Barbie Dolls of the World” that also includes dolls from Chile, Argentina and Spain.
Kitsch-minded gay men bought the doll in record numbers, making Earring Magic Ken the best-selling Ken model in Mattel's history. The doll received news-media press, even making it to the cover of The New York Times Arts and Leisure section.
She's From the 1950s or 1960s
From the time of Barbie's debut in 1959, she has been beloved for her beauty and style. A mint condition Barbie from this era can be worth around $25,000 to collectors.
1959 to 1960s Barbies
A long way from her initial $3 price tag, a mint-in-box original 1959 Barbie doll is worth $8,000-$10,000 today, according to Reader's Digest. However, slightly less pristine versions are available on eBay for less — one sold for $3,999 in December 2020.
They are very rare and can sell between $500 and $1,000 if in mint condition.
Did Ken have blonde or brown hair?
| Kenneth "Ken" Carson | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Color | Blue |
| Eyes | Blue |
| Hair | Dirty Blonde |
In March 1959, a doll named "Barbie" launched onto the American toy market, sporting a black-and-white striped bathing suit, pouty red lips and a sassy blonde pony tail. The leggy, 11-inch plastic figure—full name: Barbara Millicent Roberts—was the first mass-produced toy doll in the U.S. with adult features.
Over the years, many diverse dolls were available, but they were always friends of Barbie. In 1980, Mattel released the first black and Hispanic dolls named Barbie.
The First “black” Barbie doll, Christie, premiered in 1968 in response to the Equal Rights Movement. She was the first non-white Barbie and Barbie's best friend. Christie was first released as a paper doll, then reintroduced with two other dolls as a set of “Talking Dolls”.
Because of this, a doll named Christie, first issued in 1968, is often considered the first true African American doll in the Barbie line. "Black Francie" was not labeled as "Barbie's MODern cousin." A German variation of Francie was produced and sold in 1972.
In 2016, Mattel released the “Fashionista” line of Barbie dolls, featuring, for the first time, a slightly more varied set of body shapes. One of the dolls in this set is described as “curvy,” suggesting Mattel might be responding to parents clamoring for more diverse and realistic Barbie bodies.
William Tucker, the first Black child born (recorded) in the American colonies, was baptized on January 3, 1624, in Jamestown, Virginia.
When kids play with dolls, it triggers a sense of caring within them. So, when kids play with black dolls, it promotes empathy that then extends to people that they encounter in real life. It gives them a different worldview by expanding their hearts and mind.
A documentary that explores the history, beauty, and pride that is the black doll. Through its characters it reveals that the black doll is more than a plaything; it is a cultural artifact t...
Mattel debuted the Ken doll in March 1961 and he's been Barbie's boyfriend ever since. Ken -- whose full name is Ken Carson and whose official birthday is March 13 -- has not let the couple's age difference come between them: Barbie is two years older. (For the record, her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.)
Did Barbie and Ken break up?
Barbie broke up with Ken on Valentine's Day in 2004. To impress Barbie, Ken got a makeover from stylist Phillip Bloch in 2006.
She was first manufactured in March 1959, which makes her 56-years old! Her partner, Ken Carson, was invented two years and two days after her and is consequently 54-years old.
The most valuable holiday Barbies are from the years 1988-1992. Dolls that are MIB (mint in box) from those years sell for between $40-$200. A set of NRFB (never removed from box) dolls from 1988 to 1998 can sell for around $1,000.
The Glory of the '80s Barbie was released quite recently in 2017. Its value comes from its limited quantity of only 100 manufactured, and a boxed, pristine version could reap $1,000.
On the back of most dolls, there is a marking with a year. This IS NOT the year the doll was produced, it is the year the BODY was first produced. Most dolls from the 2000s will use a 1999 body called the “Bend n Snap” body.
Raquelle is a major character and the main antagonist in Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. She resides in The Raquelle Mansion. She is also Barbie's frenemy.
The only doll whose age is definitively known is Chelsea, who turns six during Happy Birthday Chelsea. Skipper appears to be between 14 and 16 years old, while Stacie falls somewhere in between her two sisters.
This dollhouse wasn't the typical pink, plastic dream house made by Mattel, but a more traditional looking house that was "Barbie-sized." Among the rooms was a nursery for a Barbie baby, which posed a problem: Barbie is technically not married and, technically, she can never have a baby.
According to Davis, African American employees asked Mattel to create a Barbie doll that looked like them almost from Barbie's inception, and Mattel didn't acquiesce for years to come. Since 1980, Mattel has released multiple versions of Black Barbie. Davis' aunt, Beulah Mae Mitchell, worked at Mattel for decades.
| Skipper Roberts | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | 1964 |
| Created by | Mattel |
| In-universe information | |
| Relatives | See: List of Barbie's friends and family |
Is there a disabled Barbie?
Barbie, which first debuted in 1959, now has more than 175 different types of dolls. Those eager to infuse disability representation into their Barbie collection can purchase the new dolls starting in June 2022, which just so happens to align with the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"If Barbie were an actual woman, she would be 5'9" tall, have a 39" bust, an 18" waist, 33" hips and a size 3 shoe," Slayen wrote in the Huffington Post. "She likely would not menstruate... she'd have to walk on all fours due to her proportions."
✓ If Barbie were an actual women, she would be 5'9” tall, have a 39” bust, an 18” waist, 33” hips and a size 3 shoe! ✓ Barbie calls this a “full figure” and likes her weight at 110 lbs. ✓ At 5'9” tall and weighing 110 lbs, Barbie would have a BMI of 16.24 and fit the weight criteria for anorexia.
Part of Mattel's new "Dolls of the World" collection, Mexico Barbie joins the ranks of international dolls representing nations such as Chile, Holland, the Philippines, Spain, India, China and France.
Body. Teresa Rivera is one of Barbie Robert's best friends. Teresa is a Hispanic teenage girl who was introduced in 1988 with the California Dreams Teresa Doll.
However, the dolls are one-of-a-kind and are not for sale, Barbie said on its official Twitter account. In celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth, Barbie is proud to announce two new one-of-a-kind Role Models in Celia Cruz, the Cuban “Queen of Salsa,” and Dominican-American author and activist Julia Alvarez.
Barbie was introduced to the world at the American Toy Fair in New York City. The Ken doll was named after Handler's son and was introduced two years after Barbie debuted.
There was also a Totally Hair Barbie Doll, but the Ken doll is the one that is considered a collector's item. If kept in great condition, it can sell up to $375 online. Just make sure everything from the original packaging is included.
Most Valuable Barbie Dolls
Original Barbie - The original first edition Barbie from 1959 is very rare. Money, Inc. reports that even in played-with condition, she is worth $8,000. In pristine condition, she could be worth more than $27,000.
She was first manufactured in March 1959, which makes her 56-years old! Her partner, Ken Carson, was invented two years and two days after her and is consequently 54-years old.
