For sale is a vintage 1974 BLONDE SWEET SIXTEEN BARBIE DOLL Model 7796 manufactured in Taiwan. This Twist and Turn Barbie doll matches the 1974-1975 promotional Sweet Sixteen Barbie. The doll is in excellent condition with minor wear. This posable doll bends at the knees and twists at the torso (twist and turn doll). This doll has straight arms that do not bend at the elbow. The doll’s blue eyes are forward looking, with painted on eye lashes, and has blonde hair with bangs. The bottom of the feet includes holes on the soles which was part of the manufacturing process. This doll has a 1966 copyright date and is marked on the buttocks with the following text: “1966 Mattel Inc – U.S. & Foreign Patented/Other Pats Pending – Made in Taiwan”. This doll does not include the Sweet Sixteen clothing that came with the Sweet Sixteen doll. This sale includes the original 1960s era Barbie dress and shoes depicted in the listing. A great collectible Barbie Doll.
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over six decades and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parodies of the doll and her lifestyle. The first Barbie doll wore a black-and-white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a “Teen-age Fashion Model”, with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured in Japan, with their clothes hand-stitched by Japanese homeworkers. From 1959 until 1972, Barbie’s were made in Japan and have “Made in Japan” or “Japan” stamped on the bottom of their feet.
Barbie’s appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the doll’s eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having the demure sideways glance of the original model.
