PICTURES OF THE 2001 FASHION MODEL BARBIES ON THE WEB!!:  Barbie Bazaar has posted the FIRST pictures of the entire 2001 Fashion Model (Lingerie Barbie) dolls and they are fantastic!  Go to Barbie Bazaar and click on Cover Story!  The dolls and outfits are all fantastic, and the buzz about them on the Forum is huge--join the New 2001 Fashion Model Barbie Discussion!

KITT KITREDGE SOLD OUT!   The new American Girl Kitt Kitredge doll has certainly been popular--she is sold out at the factory, and is going for over $200 on eBay!  Find out all about Kitt and the other hard to get dolls in the NEWLY updated, 12/16 Santa Panic List.

TREASURE TROVE OF VINTAGE DOLLS AND TOYS FOUND IN GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSE:   This story is a collector's dream come true.  Imagine standing in a warehouse, and opening a box.  And, out pops some 1960 Barbies MIB, plus a pristine Shirley Temple.  And then you open another box--there are a few vintage Ginnys, and some more Barbies.  And then another box...and another.  Undiscovered treasures from the past, long forgotten!

This is EXACTLY what has happened, for real, at the Los Angeles County Toy Loan Program, the nation's biggest and oldest program of its kind.  The agency found stacks of boxes filled with old toys, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, and are going to auction them off early next year (no date set yet).  They will "auction off a cache of original Barbies still in their packages, toys made of cast-iron and wood that date back to the 1930s and 1940s, Disney memorabilia and Star Wars stuff by the wheelbarrow-full."  Their director of volunteer and special programs for the county's Department of Public Social Services, says there could be a series of auctions to avoid diluting the market. She hopes the windfall can be used to fund and expand the toy program.  The toys were discovered two years ago by staff workers who were taking inventory in preparation for a move.  

Read the WHOLE story in the LA Times here:  A Million-Dollar Toy Story.  I  have contacted the agency, and I will print FULL information on the auctions as soon as I can get it!  My favorite quote from the LA Times story is as follows:  "Martinez pulls out a Barbie doll head from a box and holds it between her thumb and index finger.  "Fifty bucks per head," she says. "There's probably 50 in a box. We have hundreds of boxes. Kids at the centers were sticking these on their pencils like erasers before we learned they were valuable."

Pristine vintage Barbie heads used as erasers!!  

NEW, FREE DOLL COLLECTING CLASSIFIEDS NOW OPEN!:  Don't miss them!!! Post all your dolls for buy, sell, auction and trade HERE, in  this all-new, all dolls marketplace Forum!!  Sell your dolls and doll related items, OR find the doll of your dreams.  Doll Collecting Classifieds.

SUBURBAN SHOPPER BARBIE NOW SHIPPING!:  And reports are that she is absolutely beautiful!  

eToys IN TROUBLE:  Online toy retailer eToys Inc. became the latest dot-com to have serious trouble, saying it will cut its work force and may run out of operating cash by the end of March because of weak holiday sales.  The Los Angeles-based toy retailer blamed poor sales on "a harsh retail climate" caused by concerns over the economy, current attitudes toward Internet retailing, and consumers who have been "meaningfully distracted by the presidential election and its aftermath."  I'd hate to see the online world lose such a large toy retailer such as eToys--but I also have mixed feelings if they don't survive.  My personal site was a very early eToys affiliate, and I was a very ardent early e-Toys supporter.  Then, eToys drastically cut commissions to affiliates, without warning or recourse when they were at the height of their success.  This action alienated me to the point where I took all links to eToys off my personal web site, AND also told all my friends and family to no longer use eToys for toy purchases--this, after I had been one of their biggest cheerleaders to that point.   In any event, you can read about their current troubles in  Excite News  

THIS YEAR'S CROP OF DOLLS IS....FOR REAL:  Don't miss this sweet feature piece about a mom and a grandma that just want to find a pretty, simple doll for a little girl at TRU, and are quite frustrated at the task!  This Year's Crop Of Dolls is For Real! 

CHAT ROOM:   The chat room is 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. 

• 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!
• 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.