Customer Reviews

Barbie, the First 30 Years: 1959 Through 1989 and Beyond: Identification and Value Guide (Barbie, the First 30 Years: 1959 Through 1989 & Beyond: An Identification & Value Guide)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a good starting point for collectors. With information on vintage dolls and even some newer dolls too. This book explains How to use the price guide, since most dolls found are not truly mint or mint in the box. It also has lots of color photographs, to make identification of a doll easy. The layout of this book is nice too, there are different sections for dolls, outfits, cases and so on. Dolls are listed by year, making a particular Barbie or Friend fairly easy to find.
This book is not as in depth as some other Barbie doll books on the market, you will not be able to find specific markings for each doll as well as a complete list of accessories - exactly what booklet, shoes, wrist tag, box (and so on) each doll came with. Also some of the photographs are fairly small, but that said, this is still a good book.
I would also like to add that this book features many foreign dolls and accessories, Not sold in the US. (Lot's of Barbie stuff that were exclusive to Canadian and European, as well as other markets.)

this book does not go into enough depth to be of much use as you shop for dolls. you can use it to get some info on year produced, and to get a rough idea of where each doll fits into the larger scheme, but to do it right, you really need a book that includes much more.

Please, would someone step outside of their own personal collection and write a TRUE guide to Vintage Barbie and Friends plus fashion and structures? Is it asking too much for someone to put together a comprehensive book on the first 10 or 12 years?

This book would have to be much larger to cover the first 30 years of Barbie alone. There is so much missing.

This was purchased as a gift for my wife. She was very pleased with it. The book arrived in great condition. Thanks.