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The Bubblecut Barbies
A nice assortment of bubblecuts from Teresa Jackson's collection
Mattel started selling BUBBLECUTS in 1961. The first bubblecuts had an assortment of hair colors: raven, blond, white ginger (see below), brownette (see below) and titan (redhead). The early 1961 bubblecuts had red lip paint -- except for the white ginger! She had bubblegum pink lip paint! Another feature of the early bubblecuts is that many of them also have what is known as 'greasy face.' The same vinyl was also used on the 1961 Ponytails. The greasiness is actually a break-down of the vinyl. Mattel quickly realized this defect and changed the 'recipe.'
Here is a general list (by year) of the features of the bubblecuts:
1961-- The Debut of the Bubblecut
Red lip paint, full lips, full bubblegum pink lips on the white ginger
Turquoise eyes and eyeliner (hard to distinguish in digital photos)
Red nail polish
May have a 'greasy' face
Hollow 'Barbie' (not 'Midge/Barbie') body with small neck-knob (and therefore a thin face)
Hair color: titian, blonde, raven, white ginger, and brownette (as shown above)
Sold with box, wire stand, black and white stripe (zebra) swimsuit, wrist tag, black open toe shoes, 'pearl' earrings
Tighter bubblecut style, but
this is not always true. Fullness varies greatly!
Sometimes found with delicate painted
legs (skin tone)
Markings (on her bottom): Barbie®
/Pats.Pend./©MCMLVIII/by Mattel/Inc. -- Same
body used for the Ponytail #5
Marking on bottom of the right foot says, 'Japan'
1962 Bubblecuts
Watermelon lip paint (often called 'pink'), full lips
Turquoise eyes/eyeliner of the 1961 Bubblecuts
Watermelon nail polish
Small neck-knob and hollow 'Barbie' body -- though sometimes found with smaller neck-knob on 'Midge-Barbie' body and watermelon nail paint
Hair colors: titian, blonde, raven (as shown above)
Sold with box, wire stand, black and white stripe (zebra)
swimsuit, wrist tag, black open toe shoes, 'pearl' earrings
Sometimes found with delicate painted
legs (skin tone)
Markings (on her bottom): Barbie®
/Pats.Pend./©MCMLVIII/by Mattel/Inc. -- Same
body used for the Ponytail #6
Marking on bottom of the right foot says, 'Japan'
1963 and Beyond
'Midge/Barbie'
hollow body with the larger neck knob (and therefore
chubbier cheeks -- Watch those neck splits!)
Coral lip paint (often thinner shaped lips), White or pink lip paint on the Platinum
Blue eyes and eyeliner
Coral nail polish
Fuller bubble hair style (and advent of the rarer side part bubblecuts, especially seen in Europe)
Hair colors are titian, ash blonde, lemon blonde, brunette, and platinum (as shown above)
Sold with box, wire stand, red mallot swimsuit, wrist tag,
red open toe shoes, 'pearl' earrings
Sometimes found with delicate painted
legs (skin tone)
Body now includes the markings for the Midge doll (who has the same body): 'Midge™/©1962/Barbie®/©1958/by/Mattel, Inc.' -- Same body used for the Ponytail #7 and the Swirl Ponytail.
Marking on bottom of the right foot says 'Japan'
Very unusual 1963+ titian bubblecut with white lips (not faded coral or buttery
yellow).
I have also seen brunette bubblecuts with white lips.
More Bubblecut Information and Restoration Photos
The 1961 White Ginger Bubblecut and 1963+ Platinum Bubblecut
The very rare 1961 Brownette Bubblecut
True Side Part (1963+) Bubblecuts
Some later bubblecuts found in Europe and Canada are on the
bendable leg American Girl body, with the American Girl swimsuit. While these are more unusual, they are difficult to verify as
original unless the doll is NRFB. Bodies and heads were often switched long ago
during play (or by dishonest sellers trying to increase their profits) - Therefore, buyer beware!
