Nostalgic Ken Paper Doll By Peck-Gandré Vintage 1989 No. 00042 NEW

THE STORY OF KEN

"Ken, He's a Doll." This delightful double entendre heralded the introduction in 1961 of Ken, the future steady boyfriend of Barbie, the teenage fashion doll.

Ken stood a very tall twelve inches in height. He had short flocked hair and dreamy blue eyes. His image was a healthy combination of innocence, cleanliness, playfulness and boyish masculinity. Ken was named after the son of Rath and Elliot Handler, inventors of Barbie.

Ken brought to the world of Barbie the possibility for romance and adventure, and steady dating seems to be the result of this long lasting relationship.

Mattel introduced Ken in their catalogue as "The boyfriend of Barbie, the teenage fashion model. All Barbie Doll's fans will want Ken and his smartly tailored wardrobe of the finest quality materials for perfect fit and finish with miniature accessories... -plus a special arm tag identity for the only genuine Ken Doll."

In the early days the Ken Doll fashions leaned toward the conservative with somewhat of an Ivy League flair. The first nine fashions designed for the Ken Doll 1961 debut were:

In Training #780, Sleeper Set #781, Casuals #782, Sport Shorts #783, Terry Togs #784, Campus Hero #770, Dream Boat #785, Saturday Date #786 and Tuxedo #787.

His outfits were of the highest quality and the most excellent tailoring, with Mattel's special attention to detail. Tiny buttons, miniature zippers and top stitching made each design seem as if it were just a very, very small version of the real thing.

The Ken Doll's image was altered as fashion or needs dictated. One of the first changes was his hair. He went from fuzzy flocked to slick painted hair, a happy change for those who had tried to shampoo his fuzzy crew-cut.

One very sad truth about Ken Doll's lot in life is that he is and always has been considered an accessory to Barbie, she being the true star of the Mattel family.

In 1961, Barbie and Ken made a record together. Ken sang about Barbie, Barbie sang about Ken, and they also sang a duet. Hearing their voices strengthened the Barbie-Ken image with their fans. It made them seem more as if they were real teenagers. Young people were able to identify with them as they would an older brother or perhaps the girl next door.

Peck-Gandré is pleased to have the opportunity to present to you Ken and his finely tailored wardrobe. We feel it only appropriate that he make his appearance at this time as a paper doll, for it was the very thought of paper dolls that sparked the idea for Barbie and Ken originally. We hope you will enjoy dressing Ken in all of his fashions. Eight of the designs are presented in color and nine are in black and white so that you can add you own creative touch to the Ken Doll wardrobe.

Enclosed: 1 Exquisite 11.5" BARBIE Paper Doll, 17 Authentic BARBIE Fashions, 8 Fashions in Full Color and 9 Fashions to be Colored. - Unpunched and uncut! - For the adult collector, age 14 and over. - Printed in the U.S.A. - Perfect for any Barbie collector or fan!

The package is still sealed. The package has some minor edge wear, creasing and bends.