MIDDLE-AGED BARBIE: If you collect dolls, chances are you have had the hilarious piece about Middle-Aged Barbie that has been round and round in e-mail joke lists.  Well, this week Marion Abbott, a woman who authored a piece on Middle-Aged Barbie has written an interesting article about what it is like to have your article taken and plastered all over the Internet without your name on it.  HOWEVER, I want to point out that this author wrote her piece for Barbie's 40th Birthday--similar pieces were written and circulated all over the Internet for Barbie's 35th Birthday in 1994.  And, the author says:  "Eventually, more and different versions of my story appeared in my electronic mailbox. The next wave exhibited significant changes and more deletions. A later version added Divorced Barbie while my own Single Mother Barbie had gone the way of the delete key. The mutation after that featured Post-Menopausal Barbie."  Again, this is wrong--there have been different versions of hilarious un-Barbies circulating around the Internet since the dawn of the Internet--this isn't a "riff" that this author created, but she probably has no way of knowing that without being in the doll community as long as some of us have.  Here is the article: Do Not Steal This Article Please, in the Anderson Collection.

KB TOYS DOES THEIR BIG HOLIDAY TOYS LIST:  Yes--here is yet another hot holiday toys list.  I'm afraid you'll have to live through several more (including mine!) before the holidays are over!!  This list is interesting since it includes links to photos of the toys, includes the Amazing Babies dolls (which will also be on my list) and the N'Snyc Marionettes--in ALL my years watching the doll and toy industry, I cannot remember another time that a Marionette was selected to be a hot toy!!  Check it out in Excite News: KB Toys Holiday Toys List.

ROBERT TONNER SHOWCASE: On iDolls, through October 16.  Check out my new, direct link--if you haven't been by yet, and you collect Tyler, Betsy, or any of Robert's other wonderful creations, or if you just want to find out more about Robert and his dolls! Robert Tonner at iDolls.  

VINTAGE BARBIE MAIL AUCTION: Sandi Holder's Doll Attic is having one of her chock-full vintage Barbie mail auctions!  The auction runs now through November 4, 2000, and it includes lots of MIB and NRFB vintage Barbie and friends, some really rare side-part AGs, licensed items, outfits--a little of everything!  For more information on how to get the catalog and a bidding number, visit http://www.dollattic.com

FASHION MODELS DISPLAY CASE: Speaking of Sandi Holder's Doll Attic, Sandi has a very interesting and hard-to-find display item available for The Fashion Model Barbies!  This is actually a store-display case, and quantities are very limited.  If you want one for your Silkstone Fashion Models, you should order the item quickly.  The case is selling for $345.

FLORENCE THERIAULT CHAT:  Don't miss this one!  The Chat will be on October 24th, at 6pm pacific, which is 9pm eastern, 8pm central.  Florence is a world-renowned expert on antique dolls, and the founder of Theriault's, the doll auction house.  This is a rare chance to chat with Florence--the first hour of the chat will be in question and answer format, where chatters can ask questions.  

Have you been to our chat room?  Its open 24 hours a day, and its free!  Just invite your friends in any time, or stop by to see who's there!  http://collectdolls.about.com/mpchat.htm. 

Mystery Guide Of The Day:   Did you know that we have over 700 Guides at About, all bringing you the best on their topic? Click on the picture of the Guide to find out who this Guide is and to visit his site--HINT:  if you like the free clip art on my site, you'll LOVE this site!

October 6, 2000:  TRU Big Barbie Event; Robert Tonner Showcase; Holiday Toys; Sad Toy Story
October 3, 2000:  New doll books; Barbie Volkswagen Beetle, Chuck E. Cheese Doll; Barbie Hallmark Ornaments
September 28, 2000:  Mattel Buy-out rumours; Elle dolls; Barbie Fashion Models
September 25, 2000:  Ginny and Vintage Barbie Auctions; Online Toy Store Wars
September 22, 2000:  Daisy and Willow Line In Turmoil; Olympic Dolls; Lee Middleton Showcase
September 18, 2000:  Top Holiday Toys List; Barbie Markets to Moms; Black Widow Released
September 13, 2000:  New American Girl Kit; $15,000 Gene Package; Robert Best; eBay and Featured Items
September 11, 2000:  $8,000 Fashion Model Barbie Doll; Lee Middleton Dolls; eBay tackles fraud; Encore Gene shipping
September 8, 2000:  eToys; The World's Biggest Toy Store; Some Alexs' Sold Out; No AA Fashion Model Barbie
September 6, 2000:  Doe Barbie Manipulate Children; Venus and Serena dolls; Baby Boomer Toys; Robert Tonner 18" dolls 
September 1, 2000:  Modern Doll Convention; New Barbies; John F. Kennedy Doll; ViewMaster 
August 30, 2000:  Reproduction Dawn; Electronic Toy Shortage; Theriaults Upcoming Online Auctions; Paper Dolls
August 28, 2000:  Auction-Site Shake-Out; Barbie in the New Millennium; New Links
August 25, 2000:  Ask the Editor Chat; AA Prince Ken; Doll Reviews

• Doll Cirque:  November 10 - 12, 2000.  Theriault's special once-a-year event--a doll show with 30 of the world's best antique doll dealers, AND two doll auctions. At the Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, Florida.   www.theriaults.com 
• McMasters Barbie Auction: Catalogued two-day Barbie auction, November 17 and 18th in Cambridge, Ohio.   McMasters 
• Timeless Treasures: The Story of Dolls in Canada is on display now through  March 30, 2003 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec. For more information on this huge (over 400 dolls) landmark exhibit, visit http://www.civilisations.ca/cmc/cmceng/pr113aeng.html 
• Theriault Premier Marquis Auction Weekend:  January 5 to 7, 2001, at the Western Coast Plaza, Newport Beach, CA.  3 catalogued auctions PLUS a Disovery Day.  Stop by and say hello to your Guide--I'll be attending!
• National Gene Convention 2000 will be held Oct. 20-23 at the Arlington Heights Hilton in Arlington Heights, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). Registration is $325 and limited to 700. For more information, contact genecon99@aol.com
• Baton Rouge Doll Show:  February 10, 2001.  Ramada Inn and Convention Center, 1480 Nicholson Drive, from 9 am to 4 pm. Competitive and special exhibits, helpers, and door prizes. Proceeds to  benefit local charities such ads JC's Christmas programs for needy children and Easter and Thanksgiving programs for seniors and shut ins; and the UFDC. For additional information contact Pat Duncan pduncan@premier.net or George Orgeron at 504-386-4291 or orgeron@i-55.com.  Stop by and see your Guide; I'll have a table at this show!

Be a Roving Reporter!! Become a Roving Reporter and write a report on a doll event!  Or, do you have a doll event to promote, a new doll to announce, or an updated web site?  Please e-mail me at collectdolls.guide@about.com and put "Newsletter" in the subject line--For events, please give me 7 to 10 days advance notice (at minimum!) in order to have your event appear on time. Some events will also/alternatively appear in the Events Calendar.

Do You Have Dolls For Sale Or Trade? Did you know that you can place FREE classified ads for your dolls for sale or trade (or, dolls wanted) in the Dolls Forum?  Dealers, collectors, everyone welcome; feel free to link to your eBay auctions as well!  Visit the Dolls Forum to find out how to place your ad; if you are not yet a member, click on GUEST, but you will need a free Forum ID to place your ad.

 Want to keep up to date on all the latest in the world of Dolls?    Sign up for the weekly About Dolls  Newsletter! It's free, and is delivered to your email address every week, full of links to new articles, new clip art, additions to the Doll Price Guide and Galleries, Forum Discussions and more!   Don't miss a single issue--- scroll to the end of this page to sign up now!

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Click HERE for the 2000 Doll News Archive from January through August

For all 1999 editions of "Dolls This Week" please go to the 1999 Dolls This Week Archives.