Expert: Julie B. - 4/4/2008

Question
I have a brunette with a pony tail that I purchased at an auction several years back.  No clothes.  She has 127 on her left rear end cheek and on the right rear end cheek she has Barbie then pats pending then a copyright mark with roman numerals MC something that ends in VIII, then I think it says By Mattel Inc  She has pearl earrings.  The red on her fingernails and toenails is great.  Bright red lips and the other weird thing is she has red in her nostrils.  She is in great condition just a good cleaning would help out but I don't want to mess up the makeup or anything else.  Do you think she might be worth something?  I know it is hard to tell without seeing her but a general ball park would be nice.

Answer
Hi there Jan and thanks for writing!  I think you might have a little treasure there in your brunette ponytail Barbie, depending on which number your doll is...Mattel produced numbers 1 through 6 editions of true vintage ponytail Barbies.  Does she have curved eyebrows or severely arched eyebrows?  Does she have blue colored eye liner and/or blue irises?  Do her knees bend or are they hard and straight?  Since I can't actually see your Barbie I am going to give you the web address of a vintage ponytail Barbie identifying guide which may help you out a great deal.  It is

http://www.alldolledup.ca/vintage-id.htm

If you can't get to that web site, please let me know and I'll keep researching, but I think you may have a #3 or #4 brunette ponytail Barbie which was produced in the early to mid-sixties by Mattel.  And yes, it's a bit strange but these early dolls should have the two red nostril dots.


Once you look at the pictures and details on the web address above, let me know which number you think your doll is and then I can try to go from there in finding out a current value for her.  Also, you are correct in regard to cleaning her up.  Don't do that just yet.  Hard-core Barbie collectors usually want the doll to be "as-is" and do the clean up on their own.

Many Thanks and Blessings,
Julie