BARBIE ASTRONAUT: SPACE PILOT OF THE FUTURE

Terranova47 sent me this neat picture back in 2020 during the Pandemic.

Two icons: his Dan Dare and the then new Barbie Astronaut!

Have you got icons together as well readers?

BARBIE'S GERMAN MOTHER: BILD LILLI

""Lilli" was initially a female comic character created by the illustrator and caricaturist Reinhard Beuthin in the Bild newspaper on June 24, 1951. 

From 1955, a plastic doll named Lilli (based on the Bild newspaper comic character) was produced by the Hausser company in Coburg based on designs by Max Weißbroth. 

A total of three different designs or patents were registered for this doll: a utility model for the neck construction, a utility model for attaching the hair, and a patent for the new leg position. The Bild-Lilli 1955 was sold between 1955 and 1959 exclusively through the BL sales company Frank.

Mattel toy manufacturer Ruth Handler discovered this doll in Europe and then created an American fashion doll, which she named after her own daughter, Barbie. In March 1959, Barbie made her debut at the toy fair in New York. 

At the beginning of 1964, Mattel officially acquired the copyright and rights to Lilli from Greiner & Hauser GmbH. This now entitled Mattel to sell Barbie in Europe. The logical consequence was the final and irrevocable cessation of Lilli production".

[Above Image and Extract from the Nuernberg Toy Museum site.]

For comparison here's the first Mattel Barbie from 1959.

image: BBC

FAIRYLITE LADY PENELOPE AND TIN TIN DOLLS

Having established a profitable connection to the earlier Supermarionation shows with toys based on them the Merton based company Fairylite immediately bought into the Andersons most lavish production, THUNDERBIRDS. 

1966 saw the first true Anderson ‘Action Figures’ as we know the concept today. All of the main characters in the programme were represented with removable cloth outfits and fully articulated bodies. 

Despite Fairylite’s use of cheap ‘blown plastic’ bodies the overall impression is a good one and children were excited to be able to own the characters from THUNDERBIRDS in miniature form.

However 1966 was perhaps too soon for boys to feel comfortable embracing a doll. 

Palitoy’s ACTION MAN had only very recently appeared on the market in England and the concept was yet to be truly established. With this in mind a far more impressive campaign was launched to bring the female THUNDERBIRDS dolls to the attention of girls across the country. 

Adverts and competitions appeared in LADY PENELOPE comic one of which shows the variety in which the Tin-Tin doll was produced in terms of attire. 

The dolls heads are in fact one and the same. With a clever facial paint job, and hair colour/ style differences, Fairylite offered two very acceptable representations of the leading female operatives of International Rescue. 

Unlike the male dolls the female characters only enjoy movement at the shoulder, hip and neck much like many ‘fashion’ dolls of the period.

Lady Penelope’s packaging is of a far more feminine design than that which housed the male characters in the series but Tin-Tin is boxed in very much a hybrid of both styles. 

With Mattel’s BARBIE and Pedigree’s SINDY both doing well in toy shops Fairylite promoted their two characters in a similar manner. 

‘Dressing up’ and fashion changes were very much the order of the day as opposed to the ‘smash and crash’ stuff they were hoping boys would go for with the male dolls.

A variety of costumes were sold separately and encouraged girls to ultimately buy the entire range so both Penelope and Tin-Tin would have a wardrobe to fit any occasion or adventure. 

Some were pure flights of fancy on the part of Fairylite mimicking ‘Mod’ fashions of the day but others were close approximations of costumes seen in the show itself or the pages of LADY PENELOPE comic perhaps with some small differences to colour or design.

Now almost fifty years on from these dolls first appearing collectors will struggle to find a complete set of them and especially the accompanying accessory sets.

 The Lady Penelope doll seems to appear most regularly but not Tin-Tin and there are few who can claim to own all three variants of her.

Often overlooked by THUNDERBIRDS and Anderson collectors in general and regarded as ‘just for girls’ the Fairylite dolls are not to be dismissed by the serious enthusiast as they are rarely seen in decent boxed condition and represent well the characters who inspired their creation.

Anyone got any?

Jim Lewis.

first published on Moonbase Central 2010

MORE STAR TRAVELLER: THE RV IN THE WOODS

Another random toy connection I thought I'd had was whilst watching the uber-brilliant Cabin in the Woods horror film from 2011.

The protagonists of the flick, a group of young friends, travel to the cabin in a large RV truck [do I need to say truck? Is RV enough?]

It reminded me immediately of the Barbie Star Traveller by Mattel released in 1976. Not sure it is the same though. Anyone know the RV make?

A huge toy, which I was thrilled to find at a car boot sale years ago. There were tons of parts inside and I had a superb Sunday afternoon in the garden putting it all together. It was fiddly though and TV commercials at the time recommended that Parents put it together! ha ha

Lets Go Barbie!

Barbie's Monster Truck and 'Vette

I popped in to a shop in my local shopping mall, and discovered two great Barbie die-casts from Hot Wheels. Both were added to my collection.

First up, the Barbie Ultimate Camper Monster Truck. This is not based on the existing Barbie Dream Camper, but is a new design.

It has a truck-type cab, with camper body. The card says 'New for 2023'.

Everything is a deep pink, with green and white swirls, the large Barbie name in white, and the smaller Barbie names in pale pink.

The inner chassis and engine are deep pink plastic, with an outer chassis in black. The front and rear bumpers, the steps, and the interior, are white plastic. Clear blue plastic windows.

The wheels have white tyres, with pink hubs. There is a squashed yellow car for your Barbie Monster Truck to drive over.

Hanging on one of the pegs was a Barbie 1956 Corvette in pink, with a white interior. I already have one of these, but this example lacked the usual white scallops along the sides, and the Corvette name.

My guess is this is not a colour variation, but a factory error, and it has just missed out on the side printing being applied. The card shows what the regular model looks like.

A great pair of models - now to look out for the blue and white version of the Corvette.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

THE SEARS SPACE COMMAND CENTER AND SOUND STUDIO

I love a good space toy mystery, especially one involving box art. This unusual Sears Space Command Centre and Sound Studio appeared on fleabay recently. It seems to be a plastic work station surrounded by card screens and was presumably generic enough for all 12inch figures at the time such as GI Joe and Barbie [Barbie did get her own Space Station].

It's the four card art screens that I like [pictured above right]. Depicting various spacecraft, I recognised the floating city as being from a beautiful Ken Fagg cover from a 1954 If magazine [below left]. I know I've seen the spaceship, which is flying below the floating city, before but just can't place it. As for the rest of the craft shown I would be amazed if they're not from similar Sci Fi pulp covers of the 1950's and 60's. 

Anyone recognise them?

A reader has struck gold identifying the Discovery panel, above right, as the cover of the paperback The Lost Worlds of 2001. The cover was painted by Bruce Pennington and he became famous overnight when it appeared on the first issue of Science Fiction Monthly in January 1974 [below].

Barbie and GI Joe Nissan US TV Ad 1996

 

Well what do you make of that?

Barbie Movie Corvette

Barbie really loves the Chevrolet Corvette sports car, and over the decades she has had a whole fleet of them. In the new film, Barbie: The Movie (2023) she drives a 1956 Corvette convertible - pink of course, with white side panels, and a pink and white interior.

Naturally Mattel have gone all out to promote this latest live-action movie. Apart from a doll-sized version of the movie car under the Mattel name, Hot Wheels have released a smaller die-cast version.

The Hot Wheels model is part of the 2023 Screen Time series, although the base carries a 2022 copyright date. The model is pink with white side panels, an all-white interior, and a black plastic base. Very fine tampo printing includes a BARBIE number plate at the front.

The card features the Barbie movie logo in one corner, but there is another card, which has a pink house in the background. This is the Barbie Dream House from the film.

I was very pleased to have found one of these cars recently, as Hot Wheels do not seem to make many of their Barbie models, and they do not stay on sale for very long. You will likely only have one chance to buy them. If you want one, and you see it in the shops, grab it or miss out.

On the subject of Barbie: The Movie, on my way home from work one evening in July 2023 I saw a double-decker bus on the streets of Auckland, New Zealand, painted pink, and covered in advertising for the new film. I really wish I had my camera with me.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

THE BARBIE STAR TRAVELLER: A REALLY BIG TOY!

I used to love buying and selling Barbie and Sindy stuff. It sort of made up for all the times everyone told me as a kid that I mustn't play with dolls 'cos I was a lad! I was already playing with Action Man, Matt Mason, Tommy Gunn and Captain Laser! They were dolls!

Besides the super exciting episode with the rare dress that I've blogged about before, another favourite find was a complete Barbie Star Traveler Motor Home as pictured. There wasn't a box - but that was OK. All the tables and chairs were there.

As soon as I saw it at the car boot sale I just had to ask 'How Much is the big van?'. The answer was £2 I think and before you could say Lets Go Barbie I was walking off with my own Star Traveler!

Probably more exciting than the purchase itself is getting home and checking stuff over. I love that and this baby took some checking. With the help of the net I was able to check off every part. Aaah. The simple joys of life.

I've heard that Barbie and Ken drove off in their Star Traveler and are somewhere in the Plastic Rockies now! No doubt Big Jim will be along soon to crash the party!

Have you bought anything really big and collectable readers?

KATHARINA STENBECK'S BARBIE AND GI JOE CREATURES

 

I like these creatures! 

So very Tomland!

Do you like them readers?

SHEFFIELD CITY SHUFFLE

 Tother week the Missus and me had a day in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield, known locally as Steel City and the home of the Master Cutler.

A beautiful place full of grand architecture and independent shops. Its gothic splendour is very atmospheric at night.

Alas, I shuffled round Sheffield with a limp on account of a terrible corn, which I'm please to say a wonderful podiatrist cut off today!

In daylight I spotted this fenced off pile, which screamed Hammer Horror to me! I could easily see Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee battling with stakes and crosses between the pillars!

Not sure what the building is.

It does remind me of the creepy mausoleum on the cover of Judas Priest's brilliant Sin after Sin LP!

In one of the many bigger shops I clocked this Batman Detective boxed Kit. I would have adored this as a kid. About 20 years ago I might have bought it as part of a growing Batman armoury collection I had but its since all been sold. Shame.

Do you like the look of this kit?

Its based on the latest BATMAN film post-Affleck, which alas, I've already forgotten. Come back Ben!

As part of my comics and radio rings research last month I spotted these in a small knick-knacks store, modern costume rings that were deadringers for Captain Planet rings!

In a cosplay shop I saw this Roam Sword, again a thing I would have loved as a nipper. I had a few plastic swords but I don't think I had a roman one. is is called a a Gladius or Clavius or similar?

Last but not least were these two old Barbie cars. Quite big to fit Babs, i think they're Golfs or Polo's.

I've never seen them before.

You?

Jim und Lilli

It's our final day and we are packing the car with stuff to bring back home.

I've resigned myself to no more Flohmarkte or Diakonie visits until we return sometime.

I've also resigned myself to not finding any Big Jim or Bild Lilli either.

Jim is popular in Germany among collectors, who fondly recall the versatile action dolls range. There were countless knockoffs and accessories available for dressing Jim in the 70's. He was an all-round adventurer. I found some of his cowboy gear last year by Wentoys.

Bild Lilli is older, has a longer heritage than Jim. She's also a superstar and a lot more desirable among collectors. Lilli is Barbie. The West German doll was a saucy offer with the 1950s Bild newspaper sold at Kiosks back then. Mrs.Mattel found Lilli on a visit and bam! The rest is .... Let's go Barbie!

Jim and Lilli are out there, probably together in his camper van by a plastic lake somewhere.

Auf unsere Wiedersehen.

Tong in Cheek

 I picked up this 80's TONG Barbie clone yesterday in a German charity shop.

TONG is a new one on me and the make is clearly marked on the doll's neck rear.

Maybe the clothes she's got on is original too. I'm not sure.

The body may well be another brand as I think TONG bodies were articulated.

Anyways, for 50 cents I'll turn the other cheek.

Anyone any TONG experience readers?

SHAZAM! CAR BOOT BOUNTY!

 I was quite chuffed with this morning's catch down the boot sale.

We burst through the early fog into decent weather in Wetherby.

Here's what I picked up. See anything you would have got?

There was a whole jar full of about 50 small plastic American football helmets. I bought one, 50p. Not sure which team that is. The small digger is by Tomica but the toy line is unknown to me.

I was pleased to find this Shazam Corgi car from 1979. Don't think I've seen one before. I'll try to spruce it up.

These packs of model decals and papers were going for a song at 50p each. I got two. No idea what's in them yet!

This big modern Batmobile was a snip at £1. It so reminded me of the Kenner Super Powers version that it had to come home to Gotham.

The red Barbie MG? is dated 1998 and the silver spaceship is for Junior. I think its Roblox maybe.

Last but not least, my biggest purchase at £8, this old case full of various bits and pieces from 1980's toys like M.A.S.K and Manta Force, plus a couple of Ghostbusters ghosts and more bits to keep me amused for a good while. The case itself is likely to be 1980's, as its covered in Transformers puffy stickers.

See anything you like?

Barbie the Movie: Ken's Hot Wheels Hummer

With the release of Barbie - The Movie, Mattel are going all out in support of the movie. Of the ten models in the Hot Wheels Screen Time sub-series this year, no less than three are Barbie related.

First up, at 3/10 in the Screen Time line-up, is the Barbie Extra car. This came out in 2022, and is now on its third colour variation.

At 9/10 is the 1956 Corvette, driven by Barbie in the film. This is a new model.

The last Screen Time model for 2023, at 10/10, is the 2024 GM Hummer EV. This is the vehicle driven by Ken in the movie.

The Hummer is flat gunmetal grey, with a black base and interior. There are light blue, white, and purple lightning bolts on the sides, while the Hummer name appears front and rear. It has a smoke-tinted windscreen.

The copyright date on the base is 2022. It is a modified version of a model first released in 2022.

The top of the card features the Barbie - The Movie logo, but there is nothing else to indicate that this is a Barbie model. I was really surprised to find this in my local Warehouse branch, as I was not expecting a second model from the Barbie film.

https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/2024_GMC_Hummer_EV

A word of warning: these Barbie-themed models do not appear to be available in large numbers (compared to the hordes of Batman models), and I only saw one of the Corvettes in a shop, and one of the Hummers. If you want one, grab it when you see it, or miss out entirely.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

ITS MAGICALLY ACTIVATED BY THE DOLL'S HAND!

Toy designers get carried away when they introduce space into the mix. Take this Mattel Buffatron, a sort of Barbarella-style boudoir for Barbie!

There's a beauty buffer and space-age bed!

What on earth - or space - does the the top line mean?

"Pink fur really turns to buff and shine spectral"

Just don't let Action Man, GI Joe or Big Jim anywhere near!

Can you beat this for wackiness?

OPTIMUS KEN

 He's ready for fashion!

Pic supplied by MJ, Southcoast Base.

The Guardian Beauty

Gracing eBay, this armoured fembot caught my eye, the Guardian Beauty. 

Made in China, it appears to have been a heady cocktail of a large plastic Robot and Barbie. 

A RoboBarbie no less! What do you think?

BARBIE BATGIRL

Hi Woodsy further to the post on Batgirl's motorcycle, Barbie did this awesome piece, I know it was awesome cos I had this until my daughter played the hell out of it!

The photo doesn't do the midnight blue lurex jump-suit justice and although not comic book accurate the yellow gloves and boots do finish this off perfectly!

What do you think readers?

Regards

MJ

Southcoast Base

UK

Astronaut Barbie

Hi all,

Another clip from You Tube, this time a review of the Astronaut Barbie doll, by Toy Polloi. This seems to be a fairly recent doll, 2019. 

The fabric space suit has printed-on detail, with white plastic gloves, boots, and helmet. It comes on a card, with a pink and white rocket printed on it. Ten pounds in Britain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URos1R1SQa0

Over the years there have been a few other space or SF related Barbies. This site gives a run-down of these space Barbies - she first joined the US Astronaut corps back in 1965 (when she was only 6 years old) as Miss Astronaut. 

She also served aboard the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek universe - worryingly, she is dressed in red - and we all know what happens to Star Trek characters who wear red.

https://www.fashion-doll-guide.com/barbie-careers-in-space.html

Paul Adams

NZ

PS. Woodsy here: There's a one-off Barbie going into space soon, Samantha Christoforetti from the ESA!