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How I Finally Got My Hands on a 1962 Ken: A Frustrating Adventure

Introduction:

Embarking on a thrilling adventure is always an exciting prospect. Finding my 1962 Ken doll was not really what I expected at first but he got me into in an adventure. However, not all adventures are smooth sailing, as I discovered a few weeks ago. In this blog post, I will recount the ups and downs of my journey to find this elusive doll and how I eventually managed to add it to my collection. Somehow this time it was a frustrating adventure to get my hands on this 1962 Ken.

The Initial Encounter of the 1962 Ken:

My adventure began when I stumbled upon what seemed to be a promising lead on a 1962 Ken doll in Austria. Filled with excitement, I eagerly contacted the seller to discuss the details. At first, everything seemed to be going well, and I was thrilled at the prospect of acquiring this rare piece. However, my enthusiasm was short-lived.

Ken 1961This Ken is from 1961

The Initial Encounter of the 1962 Ken:

My adventure began when I stumbled upon what seemed to be a promising lead on a 1962 Ken doll in Austria. Filled with excitement, I eagerly contacted the seller to discuss the details. At first, everything seemed to be going well, and I was thrilled at the prospect of acquiring this rare piece. However, my enthusiasm was short-lived.

The Disappointing Turn:

Suddenly, without any warning, the seller ceased all communication. I found myself in a state of confusion and frustration, as the possibility of owning the 1962 Ken doll slipped away. It was an unsatisfying situation, particularly since I had plans to continue my video series featuring this doll. Determined to salvage the situation, I sought advice from fellow collectors. I know it’s not always easy since there are a lot of competitors who also want to buy this or that doll.

Seeking Guidance:

Desperate for answers, I reached out to a fellow collector who had previously purchased another doll from her. To my dismay, he revealed that the doll he bought from the same seller was damaged upon arrival. This information left me feeling disheartened, but it also served as a valuable lesson in navigating the world of vintage doll collecting. For more information about Vintage Ken I can recommend you this page https://somethingabouttheboy.com/

Turning to eBay:

With my dream of owning a 1962 Ken doll still burning strong, I decided to explore alternative avenues. It was then that I turned to the popular online marketplace, eBay. Armed with caution and a discerning eye, I meticulously searched through the listings for a while until I found a Ken doll that met my expectations. The 1962 Ken is harder to find than his 1961 Ken brother.

dark brown flocked haired ken from 1962 in red swimming trunks with red white beach shirt and thinner eyebrows
My 1962 Ken with narrower eyebrows

The Final Triumph:

After careful consideration and thorough research, I finally found the perfect 1962 Ken doll on eBay. Although the journey was filled with unexpected twists and turns, the joy and satisfaction of finally acquiring this rare gem outweighed the initial disappointments. With my newly purchased doll in hand, I was able to continue my video series and share the excitement with my audience.

Conclusion:

Adventures, as enticing as they may seem, can sometimes present unforeseen challenges. My quest for a 1962 Ken doll was no exception. From the initial excitement to the disappointment of a lost opportunity, I learned the importance of perseverance and exploring alternative options. In the end, my determination paid off, and I was rewarded with a treasured addition to my collection. This adventure served as a reminder that even in the face of setbacks, the thrill of the chase is what makes the journey worthwhile.

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Ken, Ken or another Ken?

Introduction of Ken

I’d like to update one of my older blog posts in which I wrote about Vintage Kens. The post was from two years ago and I think it’s time for an update. I want to include new information about the types of vintage Kens that are available and popular today. As far as I am concerned, Vintage Kens were only produced for one year, followed by the replacement of a new Ken and an update to the dolls.

I learned in the last days that this is not true. I learned for example that the flocked hair Ken was sold from 1961 until 1966. In the toy industry, it’s common for manufacturers to produce a large quantity of a particular toy, hoping that it will sell out quickly. However, this is not always the case. For example, not all the stocked dolls sold immediately, as it depended on various factors, such as the part of the world where you were living. The flocked haired Kens could have been for example in Germany or Japan. In a way this makes sense because the dolls were marketed there later that in the US. It also seems that there’s a bigger variety in hair colors than I thought. I only thought there would be blonde and brown, but nope. It seems that there are more.

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First Ken with flocked hair in brown ( 1961 due to thick eyebrows)

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First Ken with flocked hair in blonde ( also 1961)

The eyebrows make the difference

The differences can be seen in their eyebrows. Earlier dolls have thicker eyebrows while the later versions have thinner ones but this is just one example. I will check my collection and see if there’s really a difference. I never had the idea that there might be so many differences. The boxes also show variances but I only have one box, so this is hard for me to show you.

Shortie Ken

Nevertheless I also learned that especially the so called “Shortie Kens” were produced in the US. I always thought that these Kens were only produced & painted in Japan but this was another misbelief. Their brothers from the same year produced in Japan were not “Shorty Kens”, their size was normal and their limbs don’t fall off the body. At least I can say I have one of these “Shortie Kens” produced in the US. So Ken, Ken and Ken are not the same dolls. You would also see a difference in their box but it’s hard to show you due to my lack of boxes.

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US Shortie Ken, really painted in the USA, missing Japan stamp on foot

What I noticed when I got more than one of these Vintage Ken is that they are all looking very different. There are no two Kens looking the same way. We have a big variety. Each of the boys has it’s own personality. Every Ken has kind of it’s own charme.

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Box of 1963 Ken

Painted hair for Ken

Painted hair Kens were not available before 1963. I thought they would have already been available in 1962. I think I have one of these 1963 Japan Kens but I want to look him up when I’m back home. I think I also have the last version from 1963 with the new arm mold but from his eyes he’s rather looking like the 1964 edition because the black in his eyes that all other versions had, is missing here. His hands are different thant the very first issues. Shortie Ken also has this arm type ( see above)

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See here the different hands that the first Kens had

High Color Ken from 1966?

It was very interesting to learn that the high color Kens were only available first in 1966. I recently bought one of them. I realized it when I bought him. Some collectors consider them as a variation. It’s also possible to see among the Color Magic Barbie dolls. There are also high color variations.

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High Color Ken from 1966
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!961 Ken stamped foot ( left foot), Shortie Ken without any marking

I think there’s more to discover among the Kens and I hope will do it in the next weeks and months to come. Watch more about my discoveries from the past months in these videos …

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When the Barbie clothes had own names

A long time ago Barbie clothes had names. The era started in 1959 and ended in the early 1970s. Until then every clothing ensemble had its own name. The names were sometimes funny, partially inspired by Hollywood and had a very high quality… a kind of Haute Couture in miniature. Today I’d like to show you two of my early (Vintage) outfits. The first one is a dark gray suit with a white shirt called Saturday Date. The red socks came in an extra Accessory Pak along with the red tie. Hey, we can be creative in this point. We can combine what we like. Why not a red tie and red socks for a date on Saturday in 1961? Have you noticed the tiny zipper on the pants?

Ken's Saturday Date

The next outfit is for Skipper.  It’s called Sunny Pastels and was produced in  1965 for Skipper (Barbie’s younger sister, also available since 1965). The dress is made of cotton and has a very high quality too. Although the outfit is 52 years old the colors are still vibrant. By the way it’s one of my personal favorite outfits.

Skipper's Sunny Pastels