Why these vintage toys are too valuable to play with

Sydney Morning Herald

13-05-2025

Toys are a touchstone to one's childhood – either for toys one had or, just as often, things that were considered by parents 'too top shelf' to consider purchasing for their children.
Decades later, seeing that same toy rekindles that connection and, in some instances, triggers the start of a vintage toy collection. From French and German bisque (porcelain) dolls produced from the 1860s through to Barbie dolls released a century later, the market continually changes – as do the prices.
Graeme Horne has been at the helm of Abbingdon Auctions Australia for the last 30 years – his focus is on dolls, bears, toys and collectables. Three auctions are held each year at his Wantirna South headquarters, an outer suburb of Melbourne.
While prices fluctuate so does the demographic. 'Many of our older customers started collecting bisque dolls many years ago, while our younger clients, young women in their 20s to 30s, gravitate to Barbie dolls from the 1960s and the Monster High dolls from the early 1980s (more goth or punk with two-tone coloured hair and thick eyeliner),' says Horne, who sells these to his main markets – New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Blythe doll released in 1972 by Kenner was, according to Horne, 'an abject failure'. 'The head of the doll was completely out of scale with the body, with her doe-like eyes switching to four different colours'.
According to Horne, its sudden return to the market, with rapid increases in prices, was initiated by a blogger who took her Blythe doll to Japan and photographed it next to a number of landmarks. Certain models now sell for approximately $3500 (including GST).
Often, what was a failure at the time is now highly desirable for collectors.
'Many of these dolls ended up in Australia as no one really wanted them,' says Horne, who also sees the My Child Doll, released in 1985 until 1988, as another failure at the time of its release but which is now finding a new audience, decades later.
'The dolls with the strawberry-blonde hair are certainly the most desirable, often realising up to $3000,' he says. Those who played with Barbie or have collected the doll as an adult would also be feeling rewarded, with Horne selling a No.2 Barbie, circa 1959, in its original package and swimsuit for $5500 (includes GST).