Posted by mary/skippercollector on July 25, 2009 at 09:57:01:

In Reply to: Vintage posted by Shaye on July 25, 2009 at 03:22:28:

There are a million places to look, but it depends on your definition of vintage.
The official definition in regards to Barbie collecting is anything made between 1959 and 1972. The 1972 cutoff date is based on the fact that that was the last year that items were made in Japan (although beginning in the late 1960s, there were also items from the USA, Taiwan and Mexico) and that was also the last year that all of the outfits had names.
The unofficial definition is from 1959 to 1979, simply because the 70s are close to 40 years away now and some of the 70s merchandise is getting scarce.
My personal definition is anything 20 years old and older, which would be up through 1989. That date comes from the fact that many collectors of ANY types of item often consider any mass market collectible to be "old" once it reaches the age of 20. There are some psychological reasons for that idea, which I won't go into here.
To answer your original question:
For 1972 and before: ebay and doll shows.
For 1973 to 1989: ebay, other websites such as bonanzle or epier (which is what I use), doll shows and antique shows (which aren't really antique shows anymore but old-style flea markets now).
For playline 1990 and after: garage sales.
For merchandise from 2000 and after created for adult Barbie collectors: there are a zillion individual websites out there created by individuals with their own Internet stores.
I can give you more information, but I don't want to overwhelm you in one post!

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• Re: What is your definition of vintage? Kathy Dill 22:44:19 11/18/09 (0)

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Comments:
: There are a million places to look, but it depends on your definition of vintage.
: The official definition in regards to Barbie collecting is anything made between 1959 and 1972.  The 1972 cutoff date is based on the fact that that was the last year that items were made in Japan (although beginning in the late 1960s, there were also items from the USA, Taiwan and Mexico) and that was also the last year that all of the outfits had names.
: The unofficial definition is from 1959 to 1979, simply because the 70s are close to 40 years away now and some of the 70s merchandise is getting scarce.
: My personal definition is anything 20 years old and older, which would be up through 1989.  That date comes from the fact that many collectors of ANY types of item often consider any mass market collectible to be "old" once it reaches the age of 20.  There are some psychological reasons for that idea, which I won't go into here.
: To answer your original question:
: For 1972 and before: ebay and doll shows.
: For 1973 to 1989: ebay, other websites such as bonanzle or epier (which is what I use), doll shows and antique shows (which aren't really antique shows anymore but old-style flea markets now).
: For playline 1990 and after: garage sales.
: For merchandise from 2000 and after created for adult Barbie collectors:  there are a zillion individual websites out there created by individuals with their own Internet stores.
: I can give you more information, but I don't want to overwhelm you in one post!



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