‘Barbie’ Film Revives Curiosity in Doll Collectors’ Market

By Rachel Nostrant and Julia Harte

(Reuters) – Matthew Keith purchased his first Barbie dolls within the Nineteen Seventies utilizing his allowance cash, hiding them from his dad and mom for concern they might say the toys weren’t masculine sufficient.

At this time, 22 ft of bookshelves in his Los Angeles house are crammed together with his Barbie assortment, price round $20,000. The center faculty trainer’s Instagram account, “DollsOnTheBrain,” has greater than 70,000 followers – about 15,000 of whom he picked up in the previous few weeks.

What was once an arcane passion has turn into much more widespread lately, fueled by the promoting marketing campaign and viewers anticipation round this weekend’s movie launch of “Barbie.” At thrift shops, classic Barbie dolls have turn into a treasured discover, costs within the collectibles market have soared, and antiques appraisers have been flooded by calls from new collectors.

Keith, 55, welcomes the passion.

“I’m each pleased and hopeful that this can transfer the needle on Barbie acceptance for everybody,” he mentioned in an interview, including there are nonetheless many little boys who really feel pressured to not play with the dolls.

The “Barbie” film, which opened Friday, is anticipated to rake in $100 million in U.S. theaters on its opening weekend. Retailers world wide are additionally hoping to revenue off its hype with Barbie-themed choices from resort suites to toothbrushes and attire.

Not all longtime collectors of the enduring doll are as delighted as Keith by the current curiosity in Barbie amassing. On a Reddit discussion board dedicated to the pasttime, some complained they had been being priced out by rich new patrons, resulting from a spike in curiosity that surged within the lead-up to the film.

“I’ve largely stopped amassing dolls themselves and put money into clothes and accessories as an alternative,” wrote one person. “What began out as an reasonably priced passion has grown too costly to take care of.”

Florida-based veteran Barbie doll supplier Marl Davidson mentioned costs have climbed about 25% in current months. Her web site, MarlBe.com, has been receiving about 3,000 day by day hits, triple the same old, a lot of whom are from folks beginning collections.

“I’ve by no means seen this type of curiosity. It is actually bringing a number of new adults into the Barbie-collecting world,” Davidson mentioned.

Collector dolls are often round $100, whereas non-collector dolls usually vary from $10-$30. The so-called “Holy Grail” Barbie, the primary mannequin produced in 1959, sells for 1000’s of {dollars}.

Dr. Lori Verderame, an artwork historian and TV persona with 25 years of expertise as an antiques appraiser, mentioned the Barbie doll house owners who often search her experience are seasoned collectors assessing the insurance coverage worth of their trove.

However the film has generated a roughly 60% improve in demand for Barbie value determinations up to now month, beating out different manufacturers of dolls which can be often extra widespread, in line with Verderame.

“Barbie value determinations do not usually come the way in which they have been coming,” she mentioned. “I’ve seen some very uncommon and great dolls for value determinations that we’d not have seen if it wasn’t for the film.”

Lots of these have come from folks with little or no expertise in doll amassing, resembling an individual who bought a Barbie at a thrift retailer that turned out to be valued at greater than $10,000. One other discovered a doll that had been sitting in her mom’s home for years, which turned out to be price $8,500.

Verderame mentioned many priceless Barbies are “nonetheless on the market to be discovered on the treasure hunt in thrift shops,” however added that the present spike in vendor curiosity is simply more likely to final about two extra weeks.

Keith, the Los Angeles collector, has by no means paid greater than $230 for a Barbie doll, however he mentioned most of the dolls in his assortment have appreciated in worth since he purchased them.

“I really feel like Barbie has elevated my private funds, regardless that I’ve put some huge cash into her since 1991,” he mentioned.

(Reporting by Julia Harte and Rachel Nostrant; modifying by Paul Thomasch and Aurora Ellis)

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