'Barbie' movie revives interest in doll collectors' market
- 24 Jul 2023
Matthew Keith bought his first Barbie dolls in the 1970s using his allowance money, hiding them from his parents for fear they would say the toys were not masculine enough.
Today, 22 feet of bookshelves in his Los Angeles home are filled with his Barbie collection, worth around $20,000. The middle school teacher's Instagram account, "DollsOnTheBrain," has more than 70,000 followers - about 15,000 of whom he picked up in the last few weeks.
What used to be an arcane hobby has become far more popular recently, fueled by the advertising campaign and audience anticipation around this weekend's film release of "Barbie." At thrift stores, vintage Barbie dolls have become a treasured find, prices in the collectibles market have soared, and antiques appraisers have been flooded by calls from new collectors.
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Keith, 55, welcomes the enthusiasm.
"I am both happy and hopeful that this will move the needle on Barbie acceptance for everyone," he said in an interview, adding there are still many little boys who feel pressured not to play with the dolls.
The "Barbie" movie, which opened Friday, is expected to rake in $100 million in U.S. theaters on its opening weekend. Retailers around the world are also hoping to profit off its hype with Barbie-themed offerings from hotel suites to toothbrushes and apparel.
Collector dolls are usually around $100, while non-collector dolls typically range from $10-$30. The so-called "Holy Grail" Barbie, the first model produced in 1959, sells for thousands of dollars.
Matthew Keith standing in front of his collection of Barbies.
Many of those have come from people with little or no experience in doll collecting, such as a person who purchased a Barbie at a thrift store that turned out to be valued at more than $10,000. Another found a doll that had been sitting in her mother's house for years, which turned out to be worth $8,500.
Keith, the Los Angeles collector, has never paid more than $230 for a Barbie doll, but he said many of the dolls in his collection have appreciated in value since he bought them.
"I feel like Barbie has elevated my personal finances, even though I've put a lot of money into her since 1991," he said.
Reuters