In times before Barbie came, little girls had dolls only as replica of infants. Barbie however was manufactured initially as a teenaged fashion model. Later on though, Barbie's were made with different personas to symbolize different facets females.



Barbie is actually named after a little girl called Barbara who served as the means to inspire her mom to think up the idea of Barbie. In the onset, traditional toy makers that worked for Mattel did not think that the concept of Barbie would sell but its immense success proved them wrong.

There probably isn't a single person who does not know what Barbie is. Barbie has become a household name and an inspiration to little girls since its launch at the American International Toyfair in 1959. Since then, Barbie has undergone many transformations and personas, from teacher to rock artist.

There is a Barbie for each little girl's fantasy. The joy of Barbie is in the fact that you can dress her up and match her clothes with accessories sold separately. Barbie's hair is also another attraction as it comes long and pliable so that little girls can arrange and decorate her hair as they please.

Since Barbie has continued to grow in success throughout the years, she has become the ideal of every little girl. Barbie the brand has spread its reach and branched out into other lines like actual clothing for girls, video games, books and other items in a whole range of applications. Barbie has become such a culture icon but it hasn't been rosy all the way.

At some point, interest groups have begun claiming that Barbie is a poor and misleading icon, which can cause mental anguish to little girls who play with her. There has been incredible attention and urgent calls to Barbie's unrealistic physical proportions. It said that if Barbie was to be enlarged into human proportions, her ultra svelte figure would be unrealistic. Therefore, the image of Barbie and little girls' association with her caused them to have an unrealistic body image.

Whether this is true or not, Barbie is a true historical icon and probably will remain to be the most successful toy ever made that garnered success worldwide.

If you're one of the avid fans and collectors of modern Barbie but would want to possess valuable Barbie items, then you might want to consider collecting for vintage Barbie dolls. Vintage Barbie dolls-those dolls copyrighted by Mattel Incorporated from 1959 to 1972-are becoming quite valuable pieces in the world of antique collection.

If you're interested in getting your hands into those vintage Barbie dolls that can be quite valuable over the years, then you better start visiting flea markets, antique stores, and doll shops for prospective pieces. But, before you hit those places where you can find possible vintage Barbie dolls, make sure that you memorize this checklist so you'll know what to consider before purchasing it.

- Check if the ears of the vintage Barbie doll have turned to green. Collectors say that this is a very important thing to consider in buying vintage Barbie dolls because it reflects the overall condition of the doll.

Green ears usually result from the chemical reaction between the plastic and the metal earrings or accessories used by Barbie, so if the vintage doll has a green ear, it means it weren't taken care of properly. But if you still want to purchase the vintage Barbie doll despite having this major flaw, make sure that you ask for a discount.

- Check is the face of the doll is greasy. The plasticizer that leaks out from its face usually causes greasy face of a vintage Barbie dolls. This condition is hard to cure or cannot be cured at all. So make sure that before buying any vintage Barbie dolls, you check the face meticulously in order to check its status and condition.

The simplest remedy in removing the grease off the doll's face is by applying powder on it but better be careful because this remedy can worsen the doll's condition by taking off the vintage doll's facial make up.

- Check if the limbs of the vintage Barbie doll can be bent without restraint. If you are a collector, you should know by now that some Barbie dolls are quite prone limb breakage because they have brittle joints. Others even loose limbs that cannot be repaired so make sure that you test the limbs of the doll before finally buying it.

- Check is the vintage Barbie doll has a fresh, complete and original face paint. Bright and original face paint on the lips, cheeks, eyes, eyebrows, nose and finger and toenails paint are quite valuable assets of a vintage Barbie doll. Make sure that they are intact.

Other things to consider are bendable knees, original outfit and box or case, the doll's skin tone, original set of hair, appropriate and correct parts, and split or pinpricks in certain body parts.