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Ponytails
"Which Ponytail do I have and how can I tell the difference?"
This is a very common question. With a little attention to details, along with some practice, you will easily be able to spot the differences!
PLEASE NOTE: The numbers you find on the vintage dolls' left buttocks, under their arms, on the legs, etc. are absolutely meaningless! These are a mold I.D. marks only, and they have no significance whatsoever to collectors. Also, the number on the left buttocks does not determine what 'number' your doll is. Please use the guide below to help you determine this.
1959 Number 1 Ponytail -- Barbie's Story Begins!
- Blonde or brunette (more like black) hair- A flocked head underneath the hair
- Hair was rooted with two rows of plugs around the perimeter of the head
- Soft bangs that were made out of the same hair as her ponytail
- Vinyl that has usually paled -- often very pale (white!) and is known to smell 'like crayons'
- Arched brows (upside down 'V' shape)
- White irises, black outlined pupils
- Red lips (often faded)
- Navy eye-liner
- Some early #1s are rumored to have been 'hand painted,' but the paint should still look smooth, matte
**I advise that rubbing alcohol not be used to test the face paint for originality on the #1/#2 Barbies!**
- Heavy solid body, with tubes inside her legs and therefore holes in the balls of her feet (to position her on the pronged stand)
- Red fingernail and toenail polish
- May have what is known as 'mold marks' across the upper thighs (lines that look as if someone tried to saw the limbs off)
- Sold with black/white swimsuit, black '#1' shoes (i.e. shoes had holes in the bottom to fit on the stand), white sunglasses, Barbie™ booklet, black pedestal pronged stand (marked 'Barbie™', hoop earrings
- Markings (on her bottom): Barbie™/Pats.Pend./©MCMLVIII/by Mattel/Inc.
-Marking on bottom of the right foot says, 'Japan' and can be found written lengthwise or width-wise, within a little box (For an example of both 'Japan' markings, please click on the link below):
Important -- Please click here for information regarding genuine #1s vs. faux #1s
Please click here to see the restoration of a genuine #1 Ponytail Barbie
1959 Number 2 Ponytail
- Completely identical to the Number 1 Barbie's
features except without the tubing in her legs/holes in her feet
- 'Japan' written on right foot
beginning with this body
- Same markings as the #1
- May have
'mold marks' across the upper thighs (lines that look as if someone
tried to saw the limbs off)
- Same accessories as the #1, but Stand is no longer pronged. There is now a hole in the
center where a wire piece could be inserted and then positioned under Barbie's arms.
Stand marked 'Barbie™'
1960 Number 3 Ponytail
- Same blonde and brunette hair color
- Same flocking on head underneath the hair
- Hair was slso rooted with two rows of plugs around the perimeter of the head
- vinyl that fades to varying degrees.
- known to smell 'like crayons')
- Same soft texture of bangs (same hair as used for ponytail)
- A flocked head underneath the hair
- Brows that are softer and more rounded (rather than arched)
- Blue irises rather than white/black
- Either brown or blue eye-liner (note: of all the early Barbies, only the #3s were
painted with brown eye-liner)
- Red lips (often faded to a lighter, orange-red)
- Red nail polish
- May have 'mold marks' across the upper thighs (lines that look as if someone
tried to saw the limbs off)
- Same body as the #2 Ponytail above (solid and usually pale, no holes in feet/tubes in
legs)
- Came with black/white swimsuit, black pedestal stand marked 'Barbie™ (the hole for
wire piece is now located towards the outer edge of the pedestal), black open toe shoes,
Barbie® booklet, and either hoop or pearl earrings
- Same markings as first two ponytails
- Some of these early dolls (all three number ponytails) can also be found with nipples!
Ponytail #3 with Factory Braid
1960 Number 4 Ponytail
- Same black and blonde soft hair and bangs
- Same flocking underneath the hair
- Hair was rooted with two rows of plugs around the perimeter of the head
- Vinyl now retains its tan color
- Body feels heavy and solid but to the touch (especially on the back) vinyl is
often 'squishy' feeling
- May have what is
known as 'mold marks' across the upper thighs (lines that look as if someone
tried to saw the limbs off)
- Blue eyes and blue eye-liner
- Red lips
- Red nail polish
- Softly curved brows
- Same markings as first three (or perhaps 'Barbie®' -- seen on the later #4s)
Transitional #3/#4 and #4/#5 Ponytails
Note the coarser looking bangs than the previous years
1961 Number 5 Ponytails
- Many changes occurred this year!
- Barbie was definitely mass-produced by now!
- The titian (redhead) hair color was introduced, so now there is blonde, brunette
(raven) and titian
- Bangs are now a different texture than the ponytail. Bangs feel coarse and thick
- Hair was rooted with two rows of plugs around the perimeter of the head
- Body became much lighter ('hollow') and has a more 'plastic' feeling to it
- Face is thin
- Eyes range from blue to a turquoise blue
- large red lips
- Curved brows (a bit more arched than the #3s' and #4s')
- Often a 'greasy' face. This was caused by the type of vinyl that was used
- Accessories include the black/white swimsuit, black open toe shoes, white sunglasses, a
now completely wire (black) stand, a Barbie® & Ken™ booklet, and
pearl earrings
- First issue to be sold with a wrist tag (purpose of which was to identify the genuine
Barbie from the knock-offs)
- Sometimes found with delicate painted legs (skin tone)
- Like ALL vintage Barbies, ears turn green if the earrings are left in
- Markings (again on bottom) are the same as the first 4 ponytails only now Barbie™
becomes Barbie®
1962 Number 6 Ponytail
- Often thought of as a transitional doll because of
her unique watermelon color lips as opposed to the previous red
- Same thin face of the #5 dolls
- Will not have a greasy face (vinyl of the 'greasy faces' was changed in 1961)
- Same blue to turquoise eyes as the #5 dolls
- Same hair colors as the #5 dolls
- Hair was rooted with two rows of plugs around the perimeter of the head
- Same body and markings as the #5 dolls
- Nail polish is now watermelon as opposed to the earlier red
- Sometimes found with delicate painted legs (skin tone)
- Sold with red jersey swimsuit, red open toe shoes, black wire stand, wrist
tag, pearl earrings and booklet
- Watch those 'pearl' earrings if left in the ears. As always, it is
recommended that you remove them immediately so they do not cause 'green ear.'
1963 - 1964 Number 6 (also known as Number 7) Ponytail
- Another big year for change!
- Body now includes the markings for the Midge doll (who has the same body):
'Midge™/©1962/Barbie®/©1958/by/Mattel, Inc.'
- Body made of same hollow vinyl, but now the neck knob is much larger (watch those neck
splits!)
- Hair colors have changed: lemon blonde, ash blonde, brunette (not raven
black like
the #5 and #6 ponytails), and titian (redhead)
- Hair was rooted with two rows of
plugs around the perimeter of the head
- Small coral lips, very thin on some ponytails!
- Blue eyes with blue eyeliner
- Same brow shape as the #5s
- Sometimes found with delicate painted legs (skin tone)
- A chubbier face (due to the larger neck knob on the Midge/Barbie bodies)
- Sold with red jersey swimsuit, red open toe shoes, black wire stand, wrist tag,
pearl earrings and booklet
**Still don't see your doll listed here? Maybe she is a 'Swirl'
Ponytail? Swirl Ponytails*
Original
Ponytail single hard curl and an
unusual ORIGINAL banana curl or bun
Blonde Ponytail #3 with original face paint and re-styled hair
Restored Ponytail #4s
The blonde has been re-styled with multi-curls
The brunette has been restyled with a single hard curl.
Restored Ponytail #5s with very long, coarse bangs. A multi-curl hair re-style
for the blonde
and a single curl hair re-style for the brunette.
The blonde was successfully treated for
green ear.
For examples of what I can do for your doll, please check out
my Re-root Gallery and Before
and After photos.
Two original small German Bild Lilli dolls, one inside her original plastic tube
