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Redwood Falls, Minn. —
On a shelf in Anne Johnson house stands a Barbie doll wearing a reproduction of Johnson’s wedding dress.
Once a Barbie collector, always a Barbie collector.
“When I was a girl, my friends and I all used to take cases of Barbies to each other’s houses to play with all day.
“Most of my Barbies are from my childhood,” said Johnson. “I had a lot, and the collection grew from there.”
For Johnson, the Barbie dolls themselves weren’t the attraction. She was never interested in keeping them in their original boxes forever, or seeing how much she could get other fanatic collectors to pay for them.
“When I displayed them at the library, several people asked me, ‘Why are they out of their boxes?’” Johnson said.
Nope, for her the dolls were just a jumping off point for her own creativity.
“I used to make my own clothes and furniture for them,” she said. “You can be as creative as you want to be with them. They’re great for the imagination.
“Barbie could be anything. She could run for president, she could be an airline pilot, a surfer girl....”
Nevertheless, Johnson does have a few Barbie pieces that she knows would make most collectors drool.
“I have an original 1970s Corvette, and a Dream House from 1970,” she said.
An original 1974 Malibu Barbie and accompanying beach house occupies a place of pride.
Ken, who could be considered an accessory of a sort, also has a small roll in Johnson’s collection.
“I have a few Kens — in a room full of women, you need to be a strong man,” Johnson joked.
Although Johnson doesn’t collect as avidly as she did as a girl, she still pays attention to the latest fashion developments.
“I’m keeping my eye out for the new tattoo Barbie,” Johnson said. “That one has created a little controversy, but that’s okay. Anything good sparks creativity and a little controversy.”
Looking over Johnson’s collection, you realize how much Barbie has changed over the decades to reflect the times. Hair, dress, body shape, and facial features have changed to reflect what is considered attractive at the time.
Then there are all the Barbies reflecting different cultures and interests.
“I have a Hawaiian Barbie, and a Harley-Davidson Barbie. This one is like Marie Osmond, and this one is like Olivia Newton John in Grease.”
Then there is the Minnesota Timberwolves Barbie, a regional favorite.
“I displayed them at the library, and when another woman who had Barbies as a girl saw them, there was an instant connection,” Johnson said.
And that may be what collecting is all about.
On a shelf in Anne Johnson house stands a Barbie doll wearing a reproduction of Johnson’s wedding dress.
Once a Barbie collector, always a Barbie collector.
“When I was a girl, my friends and I all used to take cases of Barbies to each other’s houses to play with all day.
“Most of my Barbies are from my childhood,” said Johnson. “I had a lot, and the collection grew from there.”
For Johnson, the Barbie dolls themselves weren’t the attraction. She was never interested in keeping them in their original boxes forever, or seeing how much she could get other fanatic collectors to pay for them.
“When I displayed them at the library, several people asked me, ‘Why are they out of their boxes?’” Johnson said.
Nope, for her the dolls were just a jumping off point for her own creativity.
“I used to make my own clothes and furniture for them,” she said. “You can be as creative as you want to be with them. They’re great for the imagination.
“Barbie could be anything. She could run for president, she could be an airline pilot, a surfer girl....”
Nevertheless, Johnson does have a few Barbie pieces that she knows would make most collectors drool.
“I have an original 1970s Corvette, and a Dream House from 1970,” she said.
An original 1974 Malibu Barbie and accompanying beach house occupies a place of pride.
Ken, who could be considered an accessory of a sort, also has a small roll in Johnson’s collection.
“I have a few Kens — in a room full of women, you need to be a strong man,” Johnson joked.
Although Johnson doesn’t collect as avidly as she did as a girl, she still pays attention to the latest fashion developments.
“I’m keeping my eye out for the new tattoo Barbie,” Johnson said. “That one has created a little controversy, but that’s okay. Anything good sparks creativity and a little controversy.”
Looking over Johnson’s collection, you realize how much Barbie has changed over the decades to reflect the times. Hair, dress, body shape, and facial features have changed to reflect what is considered attractive at the time.
Then there are all the Barbies reflecting different cultures and interests.
“I have a Hawaiian Barbie, and a Harley-Davidson Barbie. This one is like Marie Osmond, and this one is like Olivia Newton John in Grease.”
Then there is the Minnesota Timberwolves Barbie, a regional favorite.
“I displayed them at the library, and when another woman who had Barbies as a girl saw them, there was an instant connection,” Johnson said.
And that may be what collecting is all about.
