Barbie®

I won't go into details about how the Barbie saga all started since there are so many articles and books written already, more or less correct. Instead I will concentrate on the facemolds, and not even there I will go into detail about the #1 vs the #4 or #6 or any other small differences, that have others done too. I don't have any ponytails in my collection which of course contributes to that, but there's just not that big difference between them to fit in here.

There has been variations in some of the molds for gimmicks, like Miss Barbie's winking eyes - her head is similar to the original of the PT-dolls but made of hard plastic with "real" eyes and eyelids. The Miss Barbie headmold didn't have any year marks. Another doll that is worth mentioning is the Fashion Queen Barbie with the same face as the original but with molded hair instead of rooted. She came in a box with three wigs and a wig stand for adding more fun to the play - you got three-dolls-in-one so to speak. Kissing Barbie looked like a bad copy of Steffie marked 1978. She made a kissing sound and pouched her lips when you pulled a panel in the back of the doll. The US issued Western Winking Barbie had one eyelid that blinked, otherwise it was a standard SuperStar-face marked 1976-1980. In 1999 a closed mouth-molded doll has these eyes that both blinks: Barbie as Sleeping Beauty - in the blue dress. Below you will find one of all these gimmick dolls; Talk With Me Barbie.

See here for some Silkstone faces.

The first headmold had molded eyelashes and was copyright marked in 1958, the year before Barbie hit the shelves.

This is my first beloved friend with her lost nosetip.
1964 Swirl

Hair Fair Barbie - another of my childhood dolls. Haven't got a clue where the original doll's head went. Can't even remember who it was!

Twist'n Turn Headmold
(also called Eyelash Era headmold)
Marked 1966

This is yet another childhood friend of mine: Malibu Barbie

Stacey headmold
Marked 1965

This headmold has been used for some dolls in Europe and Canada during the early 70's.

Steffie headmold
Marked 1971

A cheap PTR Barbie doll. I believe this is Bali Barbie.

SuperStar headmold
Marked 1976

Teen Talk Barbie. This one is from Greece.

Teen Talk or
New Smile Face mold
Marked 1992

This mold was used primarily for Limited Collector dolls until 1998 when some playline dolls appeared with it. Later it became fairly common in the playline until the girl to the right appeared.

Barbie Millicent Roberts,
Matinee Today

Closed Mouth or
Mackie face mold
Marked 1991

Barbie got a revised SuperStar face in time for the millennium.

Generation Girl Barbie

Marked 1998

Back to the beginning

35th Anniversary blonde

The Silkstone dolls also use this mold.

Original / Nostalgic Barbie headmold.
Marked 1958

The Angelface also makes a gorgeous Caucasian girl.

Some of the dolls to have this one are the Goddesses from 2000.
This is Goddes of Wisdom. I bought her second hand so she has had her long ringlet hair let down.

Angel/Goddess head mold
Marked 1998

Teen Skipper headmold.
Marked 1995

Chic Barbie from 2007 is one of the Barbie dolls that was made with a new face. I found one in the rack that didn't look squinted and squashed... Most did!

Balloon head...

Head marked 2005