By Judith Garfield
I’ve never understood the allure of the boy toy. Me, personally, I’ll just take the toy. Unopened, sitting on a shelf, appreciating in value so that someday my children, or their children, can cash in.
Don’t you wish your mother had been psychic and known that Barbie, who by the way is turning fifty this month, would become such an iconic doll? Mom would have told you to take extra special care with her and keep everything together in the Barbie suitcase. Better yet, she would have bought two of everything. One for you to play with and one to keep in pristine condition so it would be worth a boatload of money today.
Toys and dolls that can be described as NRFB (never removed from box) are highly sought after and can be quite valuable. That is why I went on a buying spree in the eighties of pop culture dolls and left them untouched in their original boxes. I have Pee Wee Herman, the gang from 90210, and Blossom and Joey from the TV sitcom. I also delved into pop music and bought the Spice Girls, but neglected to buy Posh. Who knew she was gonna be the most famous one?
My sister-in-law bestowed her Barbie collection from the fifties on my daughters. Ken has not held up well. Lost an arm and going bald. Barbie came with two wigs but her head has fallen off. Midge definitely looks the best, but she is the least in demand in the vintage market. Just to let you know, Barbie cost $3.00 when she was introduced. Today, in mint condition (removed from box but hardly played with and has all original accessories) a Barbie can fetch a couple thousand dollars.
If you are lucky enough to have saved your childhood dolls and kept them in good condition, go to to dollhabit.com to check their value. Last week I bought the limited edition Bye Bye Bad Hair Barbie along with some shares of Mattel (parent company of Barbie and many other toy favorites). I plan not to look at either of these investments for a while. One of them should appreciate. I bet on Barbie.
P.S. This will be my last Loveless blog. I want to thank all my readers and especially my faithful commenters. Your clever and amusing responses to my loveless opinions were most appreciated. I will keep trying to get away with as little cooking as possible, and whatever your pleasure, I hope you find a delicious and simple recipe for the good life.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Toy Story
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11 comments:
NOOOOOO!! Don't leave us, Loveless! I hope you go on to write a book...or retire to some lavish island on your barbie investment. Or maybe you could tour the country in a life-size pink barbie van?
I concur, we'll miss you loveless! Thanks for the simple recipes and humorous observations. I plan to cook up a nice batch of fried chicken, come up with my stripper name, buy a new barbie and concoct a face mask from my old bananas in your honor. Long live the LC.
it's a shame NRFB frozen chicken doesn't appreciate in value. loveless cooks like us could earn a pretty penny. will miss you, LC.
this was so unexpected, i . . . & it's compounded by the fact that i somehow missed the column in my inbox & figured it was just a brief hiatus. oh, woe is me. WOE IS ME. but enough about me. great final piece. ciao for now.
your leaving has given me clepera, which also happens to be the word verification word. i now suffer from clepera. hoping there's a cream for it.
& you can add to that my prolapsed patuoidi. not amusing. i will stop commenting just as soon as the word verification words stop sounding like diseases.
dogabar: if you've run out of bones. okay that was too easy. wish us luck on the next one.
pastravi: my great uncle used to make this sandwich, which was half katz's deli half buca di beppo.
dhper: each american league team is allowed one dhper 9 at bats.
hiptri: may be corrected by surgery (not covered)
aingove: gaelic for heaven. look it up.
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