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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

Has anyone ever seen or heard of an early ponytail Barbie made with no bangs? (Not a swirl ponytail - I mean an early TM body ponytai). I managed to get this #3 ponytail doll over the summer, here on eBay.  The reason I just could not resist buying her was that she is definitely "different" - for some reason she was made with NO BANGS - she came that way from the factory.  I bought her from her original owner, who got her as a Christmas present in December 1960.   She said that when she got the doll new in the box, the doll had no bangs.  All the hair at the forehead is as long as the rest of the hair,  swept up into the ponytail. As you can see in the photo, she is a well-loved  and well-played- with doll, but I think she's still a beauty.  She has some eyebrow and eyelash rubs, but I plan to get those fixed.  Her brown eyeshadow still looks good, and her lip paint is still 100% Recently I've washed her hair, and it is now  smooth and shiny, 100% better than in this photo.    I really think her hair and ponytail is somewhat thicker than usual, since the hair plugs that  normally hold the bangs are full of long hair instead.   I know the forehead with no bangs looks severe, but since I've washed and combed it smooth it has a softer, shinier look.  I haven't taken a photo yet, or I would post that one. 

 

I was just wondering how rare this is.   Did a new employee forget  to put in the bangs?  Or was someone experimenting with a different hairstyle?   The original owner said she had tried to ask the Mattel company about the history of it,  but couldn't get an answer.   I've researched it on Google and could find only one other mention of this....On a vintage barbies blog more than 5 years ago, someone had posted photos of a similar #3 doll they had found  with no bangs.  That is the only mention I've found so far.   Maybe someone here has seen something similar?

 

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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

Sorry, I've personally never seen anything like this, but I do know there was some variation in the dolls. Some came with factory braids, some with buns, some with multiple curls in the end of the pony tail.

This could have been a sample that got through to a store, or more likely it's simply a quality control issue, in that someone on the line didn't curl and trim this doll and it got past the QC team. There's really no way to know for sure, unless more show up, and have a provenance.

Some of the more knowledgeable members might have more data, but it seems they no longer post here. I'd write down everything the seller told you, with names and dates, and keep it as a record for the future. Meantime, enjoy your lovely girl! A #3 is on my wish list.

Sheila
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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

Yes, one of the reasons I like all the early Barbies is that there are all these factory variations , even between dolls that are supposed to be look alike. It gives them personality.

I may have just spotted another no-bangs #3 in an eBay vintage lot. The photo is a bit blurry so I'm not sure yet, but the hair looks similar to my doll from the front....
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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

Yes, the variations are fun! I have some Chatty Cathy dolls that are like this as well. Variations in hair color, eye color, whether they end up with the hard face or not... Always a different look. I got a vintage vinyl Shirley Temple yesterday, with slightly different hair color, and shorter hair (may have been cut, or not, it's hard to tell).

It would be cool to have two dolls with the same no-bang rooting. 🙂

Sheila
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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

I have never heard of or seen   a "No Bangs" Ponytail Vintage Barbie after 25 years of collecting.  Since you used the phrase "No Bangs" did you hear this phrase while doing research on your doll? "No Bangs" is  used to typically to describe a rare Francie Doll that had her hair combed back with no bangs thus the" No Bang"s.  Your Vintage Doll is beautiful but maybe a more seasoned collector like Joe Blitman would be able to answer your question.

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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

Thank you for you input!   Yes, I have seen photos of the No Bangs Francie, and I am really jealous of anyone who has one!  I had assumed all of the early TM ponytails had the poodle bangs, until I saw this one on eBay last year.   I couldn't resist buying her, and since then I've been trying to figure out why she was made with no bangs.  As I mentioned in my first post, I bought her from the original owner who got her for Christmas in 1960.  She said that she had no bangs when she opened the box. 

 

 Here's a photo I took of her recently.  (She had rubs on her eyelids and right eyebrow, which (I touched up using paint that is easily removable with alcohol.  I do plan to redo the eyebrow later , or maybe get a pro to do it ...!  All the other paint is original.)  As you can see in the photo, all the hair is long from her forehead, no shorter hair there.  Sorry about the loose strands of hair around her neck and face, obviously I still need to style it!   One unusual thing I've noticed about her is that the bottom of one of her feet has the number 41 on it.  (Photo below)  The other foot has "Japan" of course.  I haven't seen numbers on the feet of my #4 ponytails.  Do other #3 ponytails have numbers on their feet?

 

I've actually bought another one of these recently.   I haven't received her  the mail yet.   This one a no-bangs blonde ponytail.  In the photos she looks like a #4, but I'm wondering if it's a transitional 3/4.  And this one has extra-extra long hair, just about to the waist, and a nipple torso.

 

I haven't found anything to solve the mystery.  I did find some  photos of two other examples at this link.  (I know I can't post the link here, but maybe you can copy and paste to the search bar....this is just an informational site.)   http://www.vintagebarbies.net/apps/photos/photo?photoid=199323332

 

The comments at the bottom are interesting.  As one of tht posters commented, there were many variations in the dolls manufactured in the first years, many of them undocumented.  I guess that's why some of the early dolls had much longer hair than others, etc.  082.JPG084.JPG At the top of the page, you can click on the other 3 photos of the dolls.

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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

I also have a #3 with no poodle bangs. Her long hair comes right from the forehead. She’s a beautiful doll

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#3 ponytail with NO BANGS from factory - how many of these were made?

No doubt about it.  These are "no bangs" (whether or not they are actually called that, but I think it is a good, descriptive title for them) vintage ponytail # 3's.  I have seen one other individual post about their doll and now you and one other collector.  No doubt in my mind they aren't for real.   Interestingly, the ones I have seen have all been brunettes.    I think they are beautiful! and congrats on adding them to your collection!


Music touches every key of memory, and stirs all the hidden springs of sorrow and joy; we love it for what it makes us forget, and for what it makes us remember.~~L.E. Landon
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