She's about to reach a new generation of fans on the big screen but people can now own their own piece of Barbie history as many of the iconic dolls go on auction in the Blue Mountains.
A collection of Barbies from the Leuralla NSW Toy and Railway Museum is among the historic items being auctioned on July 15 and 16.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase the rare dolls from Leuralla's collection coincides with the release of the eagerly anticipated Barbie movie on July 20, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Australia's Margot Robbie as the titular Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
Thanks to a custom-made Versace outfit, Robbie even recreated the look of 1985's Day-to-Night Barbie - one of the dolls for sale in the upcoming auction - in her press tour for the movie.
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Leuralla director and curator, Elizabeth Evatt, said in the hands of Mattel's "brilliant Ruth Handler" Barbie became a recorder of social, fashion and political change across decades. From one prototype doll, Barbie went from college girl to Olympian, astronaut, fashion icon, presidential candidate and a whole lot more.
The Leura museum housed one of the most extensive private Barbie collections in Australia with hundreds of Barbies dating from the 1960s as well as her growing circle of friends and family, many of them mint and boxed.
The on-site auction marks a sad ending for the museum plus the original contents of the grand Blue Mountains home that housed it, including furniture and Persian rugs, kitchenalia and paintings.
As well as Barbie and her fun loving friends and family, rare popular models of Boy George and Michael Jackson will be among the other items being auctioned.
Also on offer from the collection are locomotives from Mârklin, Lionel and Hornby, station and trackside lights and models, a wide selection of dolls and bears, plus toys and games with names of famous makers such as Lenci and Steiff.
People can view items from the collection from 10am-4pm on Friday, July 14 before the auction on the weekend.
For more details, including a catalogue, visit www.antiquetoys.com.au or www.facebook.com/Leuralla.
