​​​​​​​Behold The Valley of the Dolls

by David James Mansour 

Left: One of the first photos me with the Barbie collection taking in the summer of 1989. Right: A recent shot among the collection from October 2025. 

Above: The earliest shot I have of the whole collection taking in 1992.

​Below: Three photos of how the Barbie collection displays today.

It’s wild to think that 2026 marks my 39th year of active Barbie collecting!

(Yep, I’m one of the OG collectors now. 😊)

What have I learned over the years about Barbie collecting?

Well… I’ve always said collect what you love. Try not to get caught up in the hype and buy dolls because everybody else is buying it. It’s easy to do but then you end up with dolls you’re just not crazy about. Make your collection a reflection of your individuality otherwise it starts looking like everyone else’s.

You don’t have to have all the dolls but if that’s what you want, go for it! Trust me, I speak from experience, nothing is sadder than keeping dolls in storage boxes that you’ll never have out on display because you don’t have room …or… once again, you’re not crazy about.

Patience is key with buying dolls. Unless you have an endless money supply, which I believe most of us don’t, Barbie can demand a high dollar these days. I find that if you just wait it out (but keep searching), you’ll eventually find that doll at an affordable cost.

Take your dolls out of the box if you prefer. I’ve freed every doll from the box since the first Barbie I collected in 1987. I figure it’s my doll, my money spent on her, and I’ll do whatever I want. As the saying goes, “You do you.”

Have fun! Collecting Barbie is fun, fun, fun! Display your dolls, change their fashions, photograph them, share them, meet other collectors, and feel free to brag about the dolls you collect. If you’re like me, I enjoy seeing other collections. I learn new things all the time and totally get inspired.

Barbie has been the biggest joy of my life. Since Barbie playtime as a child to collecting as an adult, Barbie has given me endless happiness. I can’t imagine my world without her.​

​~ David