​​​​​​​Behold The Valley of the Dolls

by David James Mansour 

"Such a honor to meet the iconic David @beholdthevalleyofthedolls"

~ Rach Tucker (@dolls_onthego)

My seven doll haul from Sherri's Doll Show. Part of the fun is shopping for vintage Barbie dolls that are not easy to come buy (and at decent prices). I was in search of a 1967 Twist 'n' Turn Titian Barbie but I never imagined it would be a rare TNT "Marlo Flip" Titian Barbie.      

"In each of our issues, we dedicate a page to the accounts that inspire us on Instagram. This time zoom in on the universe of... @beholdthevalleyofthedolls" 

~ Journal Collectionneur & Chineur  Paris, October 2022

If you do Instagram I invite you to follow me! Click on the photo below to view my profile...  

"A daily look back at the toys, games, and objects that captured our attention as children and continue to fascinate us today."

more buzzing to come...

Photo used by permission of Sherri's Doll Show & Sale.   

 Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! on my book shelf.

There's Buzz about Behold the Valley of the Dolls, My Barbie Collection & Me!

"David Mansour is a Barbie collector. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, he advocates for taking the dolls out of the box and explains how a birthday gift of seven dolls grew to a collection of 2,000." 

~ Toy Tales

​​

In February 2023, I was honored to be featured in an interview by Toy Tales in their "Collector Spotlight" for Barbie!​

It was  honored when invited to give a Barbie presentation on March 9, 2023, "National Barbie Day" (aka Barbie's Birthday), at Paradise Village in San Diego, California. I set up a cute display of dolls from my collection, representing Barbie's early years. I had a lot of fun talking about Barbie, and the guests were served pink-frosted Barbie cookies and pink rose wine! 

Palm Springs artist Michael Stanley, Jr. took one of my photos from Instagram (1994's Hot Skatin' Barbie and Ken) and turned into into a work of art. I'm honestly flattered. You can see more of Michael's artwork on IG, and follow him too, by clicking on the photo above! 

​​​What did this Barbie Guy think of the Barbie movie? I absolutely loved it. In fact, days later I can’t stop thinking about it and can't wait to see it again.
I think Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were meant to play Barbie and Ken. You can tell that Margot loves playing Barbie, and in doing so gives Barbie heart and soul. When I initially heard Ryan was cast as Ken I said, “He’s too old!” Now I eat those words. I can’t imagine anyone else playing Ken except Ryan, and he easily steals the film when he’s on screen, plus he’s so easy on the eyes.
The other things I like about the movie is the pastel-colored imagery of Barbie Land. I want to live in Barbie Land, and play “Beach” with the other Kens! 😉 I like the film’s overlaying message of womanhood (living true to Barbie’s 1980s slogan, “We girls can do anything”). I thought the scenes with the ghost of Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie, were poignant and heartfelt, and they made me tear up.
With that said, I say go see Barbie! And don’t forget to wear your hottest PINK! 

Sherri's Doll Show is the premier doll show and sale in California. It's been going on for over 30 years and occurs three times a year.  Many of the vendors are considered experts in the world of Barbie collecting. If  interested click on the photo below and you'll be linked directly  to  "Sherri's Doll Show & Sale Featuring Barbie Dolls" Facebook page.

On March 3, 2024 I attended Sherri's Doll Show & Sale in Buena Park. It was my first doll show in years, and the first for me in California. I drove up from San Diego, I stayed overnight Saturday so I could do the early entrance Sunday morning.

Initially I was overwhelmed because there were dolls, dolls, dolls everywhere! Where do I even begin? But the wonderful friends I encountered (many from Instagram) made the day so much FUN! I really enjoyed meeting everyone and felt a strong sense of community with like-minded Barbie fans. 🥰

The honor you feel when the author of your favorite book asks if he can share your photos on his
"Dolls, Dolls, Dolls" Facebook page.  🥰

(And he even gives my upcoming Barbie Doll book a plug... Thank you Stephen!)

Yep, I'm a "Barbie obsessive, and honored to be featured in The Guardian newspaper as one of the "people for whom pink is a way of life." 
(Read the full July 24, 2023 story by clicking on either of the above photos.) 

If you love toys, dolls and pop culture, you'll love this awesome site. Check it out by clicking on Toy Tales below! 

To order a copy of Stephen Rebello's Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! from Amazon click on the image of his book, and to follow his Facebook page, "Dolls, Dolls, Dolls: Deep Inside the Valley of the Dolls," click on the dolls below. 💊⬇💊