Becoming a Savvy Shopper
Tips for the novice Barbie® doll collector - 1997
Becoming a Savvy Shopper
Tips for the novice Barbie®
doll collector - 1997
The Savvy Shopper on Internet Clubs
A look at several Barbie®
doll clubs on the Internet. - 1997
Articles
Read articles about your
favorite dolls.
Five years ago shortly after the death of my mother, my original collection of beloved Barbies was stolen from her attic. These Barbies were not only the most cherished playthings of my childhood, but they also represented a link to my mother and a more carefree time. After four years of debating the wisdom of trying to reacquire the dolls of my youth, I finally admitted defeat, threw down the gauntlet, and joined the fray that is Barbie collecting in the 90's.
This was no simple matter of walking into a store and walking out with a doll, however, as my first few attempts at Barbie buying proved. With each foray into the Barbie collecting frenzy, I became more convinced that I was an uneducated novitiate, and simply not a match for the local dealers and flee-market salesmen, not to mention the host of sellers available through the Internet, classifieds, and doll shows. After making a few purchases and later learning I had been the victim of hidden flaws or unstated problems, I knew it was time to join the ranks of the few, the proud, the educated. I wanted to become a savvy shopper.
Barbie collecting, like any hobby, requires the right tools. The first thing any serious collector must do is arm him or herself with a subscription to Barbie Bazaar and purchase some books on collecting. Through books a collector will quickly learn the value of Barbies in different condition as well as other handy collector tips. Which books to buy depend on which era of Barbies one is collecting. I suggest the Ultimate Barbie Book as a good place to start since it catalogs Barbies from the first 1959 beauty through dolls as recent as 1996. From there a collector can find books on vintage, the mod era, and the modern, depending on their interest. Most bookstores include books and magazines on collecting Barbies in their collectables, antiques, or women's sections.
The serious hobbyists will want to familiarize themselves with collecting terms and prices. For instance, the price of a NRFB (never removed from box) or MIB (mint in box) doll is usually the quoted price in any guide. A standard pricing rule of thumb is a Barbie in mint condition brings about half the quoted value if she is not in her original box. The savvy shopper knows that to ascertain whether or not a doll is in mint condition means removing her swimsuit or other attire and examining the Barbie from head to toe. At a doll show recently I heard announcements made about ìDoll Show Etiquetteî that recommended a doll not be undressed or handled without the permission of the dealer. This is a good policy to protect the dealer, but the buyer also needs the protection of seeing what he or she is getting and needs to politely request he or she be allowed to examine the doll before buying. Things to look for include hair style, cut, length, and fullness. Is it the original style? as it been cut or trimmed? Are any plugs missing from the scalp? Is her hair still thick and full? Are original rubber bands, ribbons, headbands, and/or barrettes in place?
Recently I purchased a beautiful #4 Barbie at a highly regarded show from a collector who seemed (and probably was) honest. When I get home with my gorgeous prize I noticed her rubber band sat a little high in her shellacked ponytail, so I carefully opened it up to move it down. As soon as I pulled the band open, a large amount of shorter hairs sprang out from under the rubber band! The doll's hair had been cut at some time and the short hairs were being held in place with the rubber band and a stiff application of gel. A doll like this would not be considered in mint condition and should not be priced as such.
Next the buyer will want to look at all face paint, and then finger nail and toenail paint to make sure there are no rubs or chips. Missing paint can be touched up, but a doll with missing paint is not mint. The head should be examined to make sure it is firmly on the body. Arms and legs should be carefully moved to make sure each limb is well attached and not swingy or loose. Bendable legs should have the knees carefully bent to make sure they click.
The entire torso, head and limbs must be examined for any bite/chew marks, pinpricks, dents, scratches, scrapes, or splits (splits are especially common at the neck and around the knees). Each mark detracts value from the doll. The same applies to green marks at the ears or on the body, as well as spots or other marks. Each flaw subtracts value from the doll. It is up to the buyer to look for all the flaws, although any reputable dealer will list or otherwise reveal them. Some flaws have been retouched or repaired. A reputable dealer will tell you if the doll has had her hair restyled or if her face has been retouched.
There is some controversy as to how much repainting a doll's face or restyling her hair affects the value of the doll. According to Teri Starner, well known for her knack at restoring Barbies, this is a "non-issue." "You are not going to find anything out of the box that hasn't had something done to it, whether it's had a limb change or had the right head put with the right body. If you place a pristine doll next to one that has been retouched, most often you are going to see a huge price difference between those two dolls. For instance, if you place two #6 redhead ponytails side by side, and one is the sandpaper feel walk-out-of box pristine, and the other has its hair and its lips redone, you will pay less for the one that has been restored. If you are an NRFB collector you are going to buy a whole different collection than someone who doesn't have as much money. They are two separate things. It's like comparing apples to oranges."
Teri has come up with a third delineation. "A lot of dolls are in pristine condition but they have pigment problems, like a lot of dolls with coral lips where they paint is all still there but the color has faded. I have coined the phrase 'color wash' when we mix pigment with water and brighten up the color to its original shade." The only paint problem that can't be cured, according to Teri, is eyebrows. "It's the kiss of death when eyebrows are gone. Redone eyebrows kill the value of the doll."
After familiarizing oneself with prices and after examining the doll from head to toe, the savvy shopper must decide whether or not the doll is worth the price marked. Ultimately it comes down to a personal decision. The price guides are just educated suggestions. Dolls vary from dealer to dealer; often two booths at the same doll show or two dealers in the same city will have an identical doll for a different price. Shopping around is a good way to familiarize oneself with relative prices and conditions. There is even a difference on prices depending on the city or region in which you are shopping. Terri Starner comments, "We have dealers on the northeast who charge maybe three times the price of a doll on the west coast or midwest."
Timing can also be a factor when purchasing a doll. Frequently prices seem to hover at a high point around Christmas, then drop off a little after the holidays, especially for seasonal dolls. If you are looking for the Happy Holiday dolls from previous years, it might be an especially good idea to buy them in the heat of summer!
In summing up these tips, I can't stress enough the value of shopping
around, researching the Barbie market in your area, and not rushing into
anything. Many a person has snapped up what they thought was a great deal
and later found it was a lemon in a pretty dress! I know; it has happened
to me. So join me on my exotic trek through Barbie collecting as I learn
the ins and outs of becoming a savvy shopper.
© 1997 by Kathryn E. Darden
The information superhighway has opened new horizons for Barbie
collectors around the world. As more and more collectors have discovered
each other on the Internet, it was natural that eventually some of these
collectors would begin to pool information and a new social organization
would evolve -- the Internet club. Several of these Internet clubs cater
to Barbie® doll collecting and provide new avenues for collectors to
find their favorite doll. Common characteristics shared by these clubs
share are: providing a forum to buy an sell Barbie dolls, providing news
and gossip, and frequently providing a place to get to know and contact
other collectors. This meets the definition for ìclubî in
Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language: an association
of persons for social and recreational purposes or for the promotion of
some common object...
It was through posting on Pink Chat on the Dollpage that I became aware
of the several Internet clubs. Pink Chat began as an interactive bulletin
board in November of 1995, but in the fall of 1997 it became clear the
group was developing an identity with some attributes of a club. There
was a documented list of around 250 active participants, many of whom had
provided their email addresses for more contact at one time. Unfortunately,
due to excessive "flaming" the board was (temporarily?) closed, and no
one seems to know the future of Pink Chat at present.
It was on the Pink Chat board that I first heard about the Internet
Barbie Club (IBC) in January of 1997. This group was the first one I read
about that actually was establishing as a full-fledged club, with membership
roster, benefits, contests, and other aspects that constitute a club. I
was incredibly excited; this was the first Internet Barbie club I had ever
heard of and I quickly completed the profile information to become a member.
Between January and October I contacted Lauren repeatedly and even have
followed up since then before I gave up and to my knowledge, my profile
was never posted due to repeated computer problems.
However, Lauren did provide information on the group. The idea for
the IBC started on Pink Chat. ìSeveral of us were chatting about
how we had no local Barbie club, and I thought we could start an Internet
Barbie club. A chat friend, Carol, thought it was a great idea too, and
we began emailing back and forth over it.î Lauren created a web page
and 30 memberships came in the first day. The main objective of the club
to provide an organization for Barbie Collectors to make Barbie friends
in their area and around the world. ìWe also like to provide the
newest Barbie ëgossipí for our members.î
From her home in Hawaii, Lauren joined forces with Carol Wacker who
lives in the panhandle of Nebraska. Carol lives in a small town "far
far away from any Toys R Us........250 miles! I know of no other Barbie
collectors nearby. When I got on the Internet last November and started
seeing all the other Barbie collectors out here I knew I had finally found
a place to share my hobby! Lauren felt all alone in Hawaii, too. We started
corresponding on Pink Chat and emails and we started the club." The
IBC continues to make efforts to organize and recently hosted a contest
to develop a club logo.
BCOnline (BCO) was started in 1995 by a group of Barbie collectors
on the Prodigy Online Service and now boasts over 100 members.
The club, which is accepting new members, has membership dues of $14 a
year. Benefits include: special discounts offered from various doll
shops and dealers; discount on Pine Tree Products; exclusive BCO Club Barbie
Dolls; free Barbie giveaways; and the BCO club newsletter which is published
quarterly.free Barbie giveaways, frequent Barbie swaps, club coffee/tea
mugs and club tote bags. The objective of the club is having a group of
Barbie collectors meeting via the Internet to share info about Barbie and
cultivate friendships. As with the IBC, BCOnline formed because many of
the members did not have access to a local Barbie club for various reasons.
The club's web site is updated frequently with new happenings that are
posted for non-Prodigy members. The logo features a figure of Barbie's
head and BCO in a computer with the slogan, "we're connected".
Club President Pat Garris says, ìWe are a great club with a
LOT of friendships that have been made that arethere for you during sadness
and gladness. As some of us say - our second family. Members
have met each, spent weekends together and of course attended Barbie
shows together. Pat says a group of vintage Barbie collectors chats each
Sunday night at 9pm EST, and a group gets together for a Barbie chat every
Saturday night at 10pm EST. "If anyone would like for information or an
application mailed to them, please contact our club secretary, Wendy King
at CBZN70A. Or you can email me at XCEM43A and I will try to answer
any questions. We have a group of vintage Barbie collectors that like to
chat each Sunday night at 9pm EST, and a group that gets together for a
Barbie chat every Saturday night at 10pm EST." Visit their web site at
http://pages.prodigy.com/BCONLINE
Lisa Ashley from Tracey, California, started the Plastic Princess Fan
Club in late August 1997 to gather people from all over the world to share
their knowledge love for Barbie. Lisa asked an Internet friend, Beth Teti,
if she would be interested in being a "co-founder" after meeting her and
buying a few Barbies from her on eBay auction. "Beth is a wonderful
person, and has lots of great ideas," says Lisa, a Sr. Claim Service Assistant
for a large insurance company who has been collecting about a year now.
"I 'surf' the net and collect Barbies as a relaxing hobby."
From Saratoga Springs, NY, Beth Teti has been collecting since about
May 1997. She is an Associate at a clothing store and a full time
mom and wife. "We are always open to new members and new ideas," she shares.
At this point, there are no specific "benefits" members receive other than
meeting new friends and having a place to come to discuss Barbie, according
to Beth. There are no qualifications for membership. "We ask that members
stay 'positive' and 'clean', we want this a safe place for collectors of
all ages to be able to join and enjoy." When I contacted Lisa and Beth,
they responded almost immediately with membership information and within
a couple of days, I was in the loop.
In the spring of 1997 a small group of people who had been posting
regularly on the aforementioned Pink Chat board decided to start a more
organized club and form the Pink
Chain Gang. Led by Lori Smith of Colorado, and with a web site designed
by Vicky Lewis of Florida, the PCG has grown from its original 30 members
to 90 members currently. "PCG is our family; it's not just a bunch of names;
we've even made strong friendships," says Lori. The club is composed of
educators, scholars, mothers, medical people and lawyers as well as students
and grandmothers. As to why the PCG has been so successful in its first
few months Lori explains, "Some of the group lives in rural areas and there
isn't a chance to just do lunch with friends, but sharing a chat night
or reading a funny email is the next best thing."
The main goal of the Internet club is to "just have fun, exchange ideas,
find sales and share our families with each other, as well as our love
for Barbie." Lori was motivated to launch the group after reading negative
posts in Pink Chat and also as a way to cultivate a "safe" selling forum
as members refer new members based on reputation, attitude, and love for
Barbie among other qualifications. Lori, a mystery writer, became a Barbie
collector when she began tying to replace the Barbies her older sister
had given away. Now with over 300 Barbies, she admits she tends to
be obsessive. Her happy brood of collectors does not seem to mind the obsessive
detail she pours into a daily gazette full of tips news and gossip.
Web mistress for the PCG is Vicky Lewis who started collecting in 1993
had around 26 dolls until 1996 "when the addiction really hit." She now
owns more than 500. Vicky learned to design web pages by simply
practicing. "I first started with my personal home page in
September 1995, then I worked on my Disney Page because
I love Disney so much."
Vicky has since gone on to establish Vicky's
Home on the Net, a site that combines the best of the old
Pink Chat and the old Ashton Drake forum for Gene -- a site almost a club
in itself.
One group had their unofficial beginning at a doll show. Spring of
1997, a group of Internet collectors from Tennessee who had met each other
posting on Pink Chat, met at the Kitty's Collectibles Show. This was the
beginning of the Tennessee Internet Pink Society (TIPS). Founded by Kathryn
Darden, TIPS
is a fun way for Tennessee collectors to keep each other informed about
sales and shows in the state, as well as other Barbie news and gossip.
Besides the meeting last in May of '97, the club met again in February
of 1998 at a CollectorsUnited show in Nashville and again to "do lunch"
in May at Kitty's show and in the fall at the Marl and Joe show. A directory
of members is available to all members, and and the group is encouraged
to scout for bargains and keep each other informed about club meetings,
conventions, and other regional happenings. The only requirements for membership
are to live in Tennessee and to be online! Being a regional club, TIPS
has the advantage of having several occasions a year to meet each other
at doll shows.
Another regional doll club is TIGGERS, the Tennessee Internet Gene Group. Similar to TIPS in form and function, TIGGERS brings Gene collectors from Tennessee together to network and share information about Genem Tyler, and other like fashion dolls. TIGGERS members also meet several times a year at special doll events.
If you are looking for a better way to plub in, join one of these
Internet clubs. It's a great way to make friends and learn more about the
world of Barbie collecting.
The Savvy Shopper on Green Ear
© 1997 by Kathryn E. Darden
In 1967, I took my allowance to Spannís 5 & 10 Store outside
of Nashville, Tennessee, to purchase the brand-new Barbie® that was
on all those exciting television commercials, the one ALL the girls were
getting. She was new, she was groovy, and she was beautiful with real eye
lashes, a twist and turn waist, and gorgeous, shiny, straight, platinum-blond
hair! She was a prized addition to my Barbie collection, and she was the
last Barbie® doll I would buy for 30 years.
When I rediscovered the joys of Barbie® collecting after most of
my original collection was stolen, the first thing I did was to take stock
of my remaining Barbies. One of the dolls stored in my closet was my TNT,
but to my horror, I discovered I had left the earrings to one of her original
outfits in her ears, and while she had still had beautiful, thick eyelashes,
lovely mint makeup, shiny, mod hair, and even her original orange hair
ribbon, she also had large green spots on both sides of her head.
Soon afterwards I discovered the two Barbie collector magazines, Barbie
Bazaar and Millers Fashion Doll Magazine, and one of the first
articles that caught my eye was written by Nicholas Hill in Millers
extolling the virtues of using Remove-Zit on the problem called green ear.
Eagerly I ordered his products, and as soon as they arrived, I poured over
the instruction sheets provided as well as re-reading the article in Millers.
I wanted to make sure I did everything right to restore my beautiful girl
to her original glory. One thing that gave me confidence was Hillís
claims in the instruction sheet that Remove-Zit was safe and harmless to
use, even on syn-thetic hair:
REMOVE-ZIT will not harm or discolor human hair, mohair
or synthetic hair. As a matter of fact, the product
has been used successfully to remove copper metal
stains (from a bobby pin) from the hair of a blond Barbie®.
I wanted Barbieís beautiful original hairstyle to remain perfect
and the green ear did extend up to the scalp line. Another confidence builder
was an article in the Winter 1996 issue of Millers where writer Virginia
Walker says she successfully used Remove-Zit on a White Ginger bubblecut.
However, she did note that the doll must be protected against the
fumes from Remove-Zit damaging the eye paint, so I was careful not to get
the chemical on Barbieís paint.
Week after week I faithfully applied a small amount of Remove-Zit to
the affected area. Hillís literature did say it might take
several weeks to remove all the color, so I kept the treatment up for more
than three months. I tried to keep it out of her hair as I didnít
want to even have to wash her lovely locks for fear of disturbing her all-original
hair-do. However, occasionally over the two months in which I applied the
product, a small amount would get into her hairline. I was not overly concerned;
after all, the product was clearly billed as safe for synthetic hair. A
little more than three months after the first application, I made a horrifying
discovery; Barbieís hair had become brittle and appeared to have
dissolved at the hair line! My beautiful girl was loosing hair behind her
ears on both sides where I had applied the Remove-Zit. In addition, not
only had the treated area begun to bleach, but the Remove-Zit was bleaching
out areas of the dollís face BEYOND the points where I had applied
it!
Immediately I wrote Mr. Hill requesting an explanation and asking if
he backed his product up with any guarantee if something did go wrong.
He sent back this reply:
Dear Kathryn,
REMOVE-ZIT is an efficient stain remover...no more no
less. It does not damage natural or
synthetic fibers.
Even though the successful use of REMOVE-ZIT to remove
metal stains and oxidation from
natural and synthetic hair fibers is documented in both
Barbie magazines we have never recommended the product for this use.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Hill
And although Hillís literature proclaims that his products come
with a ìmoney back guarantee,î I was offered no refund.
From that point on I began a quest for a knowledge, a quest to discover
exactly what DOES work on green ear if not Remove-Zit. I began to poll
people on the Internet, dealers, and anyone else who would give me the
time of day, and I made a startling discovery. There is NO perfect
cure for green ear. Furthermore, people were highly polarized, as you will
discover, in two equally passionate camps: those who recommend Remove-Zit
and those who rave about TarnX. I also discovered some interesting alternative
green ear solutions.
Out of the twenty-five people who responded to my request for green
ear solutions, five favored Remove-Zit; ten recommended TarnX; four mentioned
Clearasil, Oxxy-10, and plain Hydrogen Peroxide; two suggested TarniShield,
two had mixed feelings, and two other surprise methods were thrown in.
Plus, top restorationist Terri Starner gave us the ìrecipeî
for what she says is the newest green ear treatment.
One defender of Remove-Zit was Ryan Karp who does restorations for
Kitty Stewart. While Ryan states Remove-Zit is ìterribly slow,î
he attests, ìIt seems the best thing to use.î He follows that
up with a disclaimer; ìI don't recommend it on TNT's. Nick Hill
says it bleaches the green ear out and then you can color it with those
little pens he mentioned in his article, but I don't even get that far.
Iíve done it for six months and never got it out enough where I
could even try to recolor it.î
Carol from the Pink Chat Internet board says she has always used Remove-Zit.
ìIt doesn't always completely remove the green, but I have never
had ill effects and the green fades considerably.î She goes on to
mention, ìI have heard negatives about it, though, like it
causes brownish stains, and when used over a long time it damages face
paint. I have heard the same complaints about TarnX, though, so who knows.î
From Shawnee, Kansas, Jana LeBlanc has been collecting Barbies for
only about a year, but in that time she has treated four dolls with Remove-Zit
with varying results. "The greatest success was with a #5 with a slight
case of green ear. The green was about the size of the earring pearl and
I was successful in removing all traces of green with about three, two-day
treatments. I used a size 0 paint brush to apply the cream. I put it on
thicker than the instructions say, and it seems to be more effective if
you leave it on at least 2 days, till it starts to crack. I did notice
a very slight swelling, but it subsided after treatment. I did not notice
any reappearance of the green in 5 months." Next Jana tried brightening
the same dollís lemon hair with Remove-Zit. ìI did not cover
the face or use vaseline and sure enough, the cream touched the brows and
they wiped off when I was removing the cream." Jana also discovered Remove-Zit
was very hard to get out of the hair, and when she did finally remove it
after repeated washings, the dollís hair was never as soft again;
even after conditioning the doll's hair was limp and lifeless. A bendleg
Francie with dyed hair was Janaís next project. "This time I put
lotion on the doll's face and rubberbanded saran wrap over the face. I
managed to get most of the dye out after two treatments, but the hair seemed
to loose some of its bounce. I even tried to soften it with some liquid
fabric softener which usually works so well, but the texture seemed
permanently changed and felt rough. The roughness dulls the hair
to the eye, though, so it is visible. Thank goodness for those Francie
hoods!" Jana's final treatment involved "a NRFB Lemon Swirl with massive
green ear that I spent at least 4 months treating at least every third
day. The green was very dark to begin with and paled considerably, but
you still could see it. I did notice that the tan-toned area around the
green paled somewhat as well."
What does restorationist Teri Starner think? Teri recommended both
Remove-Zit and Clearasil for spot removal, but has not had success with
Clearasil on green ear. She notes, "Remove-Zit is great for spots. It is
slow but prudent for green removal." However, as with the others who recommend
Remove-Zit, Teri adds a note of caution. "If you use it, I highly
recommend you use it for two days on and two days off, which seems to keep
the vinyl from swelling so much."
On the flip side, restorationist Gary Mohrmon states, "To be honest,
I have tried Remove-Zit and I have not found that it lived up to my expectations.
I really think Remove-Zit came across as something everyone was waiting
for and I have yet to see it have good results. It makes the doll's vinyl
expand and makes her look puffy like she has mumps." Gary shares one particularly
bad experience. "I tried it on a 1962 blond ponytail and probably
applied it every other day for six months until I could see it had done
all it was going to do. It dulled the green down to a dull grey and it
made the face puff out. That was about a year ago, and the puffing still
hasn't gone down. Maybe some people can live with that, but I was disappointed."
Respected Barbie® doll dealer Marl Davidson also mentioned problems
with Remove-Zit's effects saying, "My experience with Remove-Zit has been
unsuccessful! Your doll parts swell and get bumpy when used on the
body and it can change the dollís eye color when you use it near
the ears."
An Internet site that is frequently visited is Nancy Coogan's Beanies
and Barbies. Nancy, who has been collecting Barbie® dolls for
over seven years and dealing with the green ear problem for the same amount
of time, vehemently writes, "I STAY AWAY from Remove-Zit - it does nothing
but turn the ears brown." Penny Carenza from Fair Lawn, NJ, responded
to my survey on Pink Chat by telling me, "I remember a while back someone
did a story on green ears and it turned out to be a commercial for Remove-Zit.
I tried that stuff once and it made the doll's head and cheeks swell up
so that it looked like she had the mumps. Never will I use that product
again."
TarnX fared better in poling collectors, but it did not escape criticism.
While some contributors were enthusiastic, as with Remove-Zit, most TarnX
users offered cautionary notes. One collector who gave TarnX her blessing
was Marl Davidson. "I have been treating green ears for over ten years
now, and I can tell you this, I favor TarnX, and persistence is everything!!!!
I have tried every other product, but TarnX seems to work the best for
me." Nancy Coogan raves, "TarnX works wonderful for me. I have used
it for seven years and have only done damage to two dolls - both due to
my own stupidity. I have found the only dolls that TarnX will not work
on are, of course, TNT's (nothing works on them yet) and the dark-faced,
suntanned dolls from 1964-65 (swirls mostly, but some bubbles and Midges
have that dark skin tone as well as some American Girls)." "I have
successfully treated my own first edition Bubblecut and titian Midge.
They both had green ear that was crusty in places, it was so bad," says
Debbie Ledbetter, Winterville, NC. "Also, I treated my s/l Skipper
in the hair from her headband. I'm currently treating a white ginger
bubblecut." Debbie treated her dolls two years ago and reports no
green ear or discoloration has returned. "I am careful to clean inside
and out every two days with alcohol and new TarnX soaked cotton balls.
I place the head in a tupperware-type container. Check every day!!
It takes a while but I have been happy with the results."
Collector Penny Carenza states, "The best thing I have found to
use for green ears on vintage dolls is TarnX," but she goes on to say that
not all green ear can be cured, and sometimes it comes back. Penny feels
the problem with returning green ear is an incomplete treatment. "It is
necessary to treat both the inside and outside of the ears! That's why
I think green ear comes back sometimes, because it was never completely
gone to begin with." Penny went on to provide an exhaustive 11-step TarnX
treatment plan:
1. carefully remove the head (ouch)
2. clean it thoroughly with alcohol
3. gather supplies :
l. small plastic container with good
sealing lid
2. TarnX
3. cotton & Q-tips
4. tweezers
5. saran wrap to protect the hair (optional)
4. wrap the hair in saran wrap if so desired or wash the hair
and head thoroughly when through.
5. tear of a small piece of cotton just big enough to cover the
green
6. soak it in the TarnX (I pour some in a small shot glass or
use the lid.)
7. with the tweezers, place the saturated cotton ball on the
green. DO NOT ALLOW THE TarnX TO RUN ONTO THE LIPS OR MAKE-UP! I
did that with a bubble that I thought had no lipstick left. Actually
it had faded to nude and I just didn't notice. I was new at de-greening
and placed her carelessly in the container and the TarnX ran onto
her lips turning them white! That's when I discovered that she had lipstick!
8. Place the head with the cotton soaked in TarnX on the ears
face up in the container. The cotton will stay on if it is
small enough and wet enough. You can do 2 ears at the same time.
9. cover the container
10. LEAVE IT ALONE FOR A FEW DAYS! Depending on how green
the doll is and how deeply imbedded in the vinyl, this process can
take anywhere from a few days to a few months. You are checking
for 2 things: to see if the green is gone and to see if the cotton needs
wetting. Keep the cotton wet by checking every few days and the green
will go. The reason to keep the container closed is to give the TarnX
a chance to work, and air will dry out the tiny cotton too quickly.
11. When the green is all gone from the outside,
dip a Q-tip in the TarnX and position it on the ear to degreen from
the inside.
What do people from other parts of the world use? Megan Bouris from
Australia says they order TarnX from the States! "We have no magic formula,
and in fact we mainly use TarnX imported from the USA as we do not seem
to have a silver cleaning product quite like it. It has been very successful
for many of us; you just need to be careful not to get it near the
hair (sends blondes very brassy) or the makeup (sends pink lips white for
example). NEVER use it on Twist n Turn era dolls - disastrous. An
alternative is to use a cream such as Oxxy10 (any face cream with benzol
peroxide 10%) and dab it on, repeat many times (put it in the sun to speed
it up) and sometimes that works OK as well. Overdo it and it bleaches out
the tan tone. But I believe you cannot use that on a doll after you have
tried the TarnX." Megan says she has not yet tried Remove-Zit, "But other
friends in the US swear by it. I intend to buy some and try it." Italy's
Mauro Marchetti has had a similar experience. ìIn searching for
getting good results with green ears, I must confess I tried lots of products
available here with no results at all. Even chemical products are different
in other countries. For example, the Clearasil here in Italy has a different
formula and doesn't contain benzol peroxide (which helps to remove stains).
The only products I tested and that gave some good results are the TarnX
(from USA) and the Clearasil from England (to remove stains). Unfortunately
I believe there is not an ultimate product to solve the 'green ear disease'.
Even the good old TarnX it seems to act as a temporary remedy, in
fact the green reappears after some times and I think it depends on the
weather and the conditions of storage of the treated doll. A Casey head
with really bad green ear turned brown and either the paint of the eyebrows
and eyes and the color of the hair were lightened by the TarnX." Ger van
Kempen indicates collectors from The Netherlands use a local product as
well as importing TarnX. "I personally use TarnX bought in the US. Here
in The Netherlands people use "Hagerty" silver dip." Ger believes Hagerty's
is very similar to TarnX. "You use it the same way as the TarnX (a cotton
dot on the green spot and be patient). Up till now my experience has been
good with TarnX and I hear about the same with Hagerty. Sometimes with
TarnX the spot turns brown instead of green after a while but most of the
times it works. I think it is the same with 'Hagerty.'"
Gary Mohrmon gave TarnX a mixed endorsement and another 'recipe' for
its use. "Honestly, I've had my best results with TarnX, and it has problems
as well. The most efficient way to use it is to take several tiny pieces
of cotton ball and take a needle and thread, and knot one end of the thread.
Run the needle through the cotton ball and through the earring hole, then
through the cotton ball on the inside of the ear, then across the inside
of the head, and then out the other earring hole and out to the cotton
ball on the outside of the head. Then you knot the other end at the cotton
ball so it all holds together. That way you have cotton outside the ear
and inside the head. Apply the TarnX with an eye dropper or Q-tip, dab
it on the cotton ball. Keep it wet; apply it every day. This effects the
inside and the outside of the ear, and it wonít run all over everything.
One of the disadvantages of TarnX is that it will get in blond hair and
make a dark stain, and it will fade the lips. The red pigment seems to
be affected the most. It can also dull the blue pigment in the eyes over
a long period of time."
Other disadvantages to TarnX were mentioned. Ryan Karp says he bought
his first bubblecut back when TarnX was the only thing out there. "I treated
her with the TarnX and completely removed the green ear, and I put it in
a showcase. In three years all the green ear was back. I have a friend
who bought a ponytail and the same thing happened. I guess it is some sort
of time thing, but the green ear seems to always come back." Another restorationist
who had some misgivings about TarnX was Teri Starner who noted, "TarnX
smells bad, and is wet and messy. If you treat a doll with her original
hairdo with green ear, you almost canít keep the hair in the original
wraps."
An Organics Professor in the Chemistry Dept. at Duke University
was consulted by Carlota Berry, a junior majoring in Textiles Manufacturing
& Design at North Carolina State. His recommendation was NEVER use
TarnX. Why? Because TarnX contains copper, which is the element in brass
that causes green ear. Carlota says without being told so, the professor
accurately guessed that TarnX-treated ears would turn brown a few years
down the road because of the copper content.
Other chemicals did not fare well on green ear with the experts. "One
of the things we tried left a white shadow," says Teri Starner about her
experiments with TarniShield. "We tried TarniShield for copper; it's a
flesh-toned cleaner. It eradicated the green, but every couple of weeks
it would get a white powder residue -- we call it the white shadow." Gary
Mohrmon tells us he has also tried TarniShield. "I used to think it was
great; over a period of time, it will take away the green, but a white
powdery substance will come back where the green ear was, and I've actually
had the green ear come back as well." Gary also experimented with a combo:
"I used TarnX and it didn't get all the green out and then I used TarniShield
and it brought all the green back!" He cautions, however, "You don't
want to mix your chemicals, although supposedly you can use Remove-Zit
after you use TarnX if you wash the head first." Lori Smith from the Internet
Pink Chain Gang has a friend who has used TarniShield successfully. "My
pal at work here uses TarniShield (available at drugstores) to wipe out
green ear on her vintage Barbies. She's been using it for about two
years with no problems so far." Experts caution, however, that this doll
may not have had enough time for the white shadow to show up yet.
Gary Mohrmon says he hasn't had great luck with Clearasil on green
ear, but he gives it high marks for ink spot removal. "It works great on
ink stains if you dab a little on the ink stain and lay it out on a window
sill. Lay it in the sun which acts as a bleaching agent until the spot
goes away. This might be a matter of hours or a few days. Used this way,
Clearasil has no bad effects." Penny Carenza recommends Oxxy-10 for the
same problem, used basically the same way as Clearasil. A combo treatment
for green ear using Clearasil has been used successfully by Marl Davidson.
"In the very beginning, I sometimes use Clearasil with a bright light focussed
on the green area, then do the TarnX treatment. The reason I tried that
treatment was because the green was so thick and goopy surrounding the
ears. I thought if I put Clearasil on the ears first and then put
the head under a bright light, it would help start the de-greening, and
it did. I left it overnight, checking it frequently. The next day I applied
the TarnX and did the usual treatment of putting it on the ears and then
placing the head in a Tupperware container and then burping the container.
Try to change the cotton everyday and apply a fresh application of TarnX
daily. This system worked quite well as all the green came out of the ears
on this particular doll."
Some other novel treatments were brought to light through this research.
A gentleman named Vernard contacted a couple of women on the Internet's
Pink Chat for tips about some old Barbies he had unearthed. He showed the
vintage Barbies to a friend who is curator for the local museum in Vernard's
area. Vernard told the curator he wanted to restore and save the dolls
for his daughter, and the curator successfully removed the stains around
the ears with some cleaner they use at the museum for cleaning around brass
book tacks. Unfortunately, Vernard was unable to provide the name of this
tack cleaner.
Ruth Harvey, President of "The Diamond Doll Club of Arkansas" bought
a blonde bubble from her next door neighbor last year. It had been stored
in the attic with the earrings left in. This doll had green face! Ruth
is also an Avon Representative, and feeling she had nothing to lose, she
started experimenting with Avon products and found that ANEW : all-in-one
perfecting lotion, worked extremely well at removing the green. She
stopped using the lotion when the hair covered the remaining green, and
she felt that had she continued using the lotion it would have eventually
removed all the green. The lotion in no form or fashion harmed the makeup,
hair or vinyl.
The same Organics professor at Duke University that explained the problems
with TarnX to Carlota Berry suggested another alternate treatment, CLR--
the Calcium-Lime-Rust used to remove tub stains! Carlota says, "It works
especially well on the dark forest green stains: takes them out overnight
on most TNT heads, and fades them gradually on bubbles/ponytails, though
that could take several weeks of treatment. It does not bleach or
seem to harm the vinyl, either. I'm still experimenting on the neon
green stains that TNT's get. Alternate treatments of baking soda and H202
are bringing a bit of success, but I've only completed one head with that
method." A product called DD7 available in the laundry department
at K-mart and other retailers was recommended by Bonnie in MN from the
Pink Chain Gang who says while she has never used it for green ear, "It
worked wonders when a small child had taken black magic marker to my white
furniture!"
Ultimately, a combination of chemicals may be the best solution for
treating green ear. Teri Starner offered this combo treatment, but she
prefaced it by stating adamantly, "There is not a great method of cleaning
green ear." This is the newest treatment, according to Teri: "Clean
the doll's head out with alcohol including running a thread through ear
hole/s. Next, put TarnX on cotton ball, place the wad on the affected area,
moistened with TarnX. Place the head in a sealed area like Tupperware;
allow it to sit there until the green disappears. Check periodically and
moisten occasionally. Because TarnX is a sulfur based product, it moves
the stain, and doesn't necessarily eradicate the green, and it often leaves
a brown stain or shadow in the affected area. Rinse it with really hot
water, let it dry and apply the Remove-Zit. Don't let the two chemicals
touch. Remove-Zit is some form of hydrogenated peroxide, organic peroxide,
or cream peroxide. It expands the vinyl as its working. Left on too long,
it leaves a bulge or lump. If you have pinpricks or hole it swells them.
In order for Remove-Zit to clean, you have to leave it on a really long
time. Since you can get rid of the brown stain quicker than the green,
people get rid of the green first through TarnX, and then they remove the
rest of the brown through Remove-Zit."
Teri and Gary both strongly urge readers to use caution when combining
chemicals. "I think dealers should have to tell if they've treated green
ear and should be required to tell what treatment they used. It's good
to know it's been treated so ten years down the road if you have to treat
it or to pro-active treating, you'll know how to treat it," states Teri.
Gary encourages all methods be used first on, "an old doll first and not
one that's near and dear to your heart."
What about my problem with the dissolving TNT hair? Several collectors
had heard of it happening to other people's dolls, especially to blond
hair, and Donnie Tassey, a local expert from Tennessee, reported he lost
all the hair on a vintage Skipper by treating her with Remove-Zit. A number
of people also noted that treating a doll's hair with Remove-Zit resulted
in signs of hair damage: dryness, brittleness, dullness, loss of texture,
etc.
Progress is obviously being made in the search for a cure for the green
ear problem. Maybe Vernard's tack cleaner or the Organics professor's suggestion
of CLR will usher in the future for green ear removal. Perhaps Teri's TarnX/Remove-Zit
combination will provide long-term satisfaction. It is too late for my
once-lovely TNT, but maybe one of the treatments here will save readers
from the heartache that comes from ruining a doll with the wrong chemicals.
Remember Gary's advice to experiment on a junk doll first. Don't forget,
experts urge great caution and lots of rinsing when you are using two chemicals.
Keep reading and researching, because the next issue of Barbie Bazaar
or Millers Fashion Doll Magazine may have the perfect solution we
vintage collectors are all waiting for - the permanent cure for green ear!
This article is for private use on this site and not
available for reprint. © 1999 by Kathryn E. Darden, all rights reserved.
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