STORY: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE / #799 TOUCHDOWN
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Category Archives: KEN
AT AUCTION: THERIAULT’S / SOME FINAL SALES
I’ve never sat through the final moments (3 + hours) of one of these auctions final “live auction” phase. Usually I check back later and do an overview. This time I had a few irons in the fire of my own and i wanted to see how they faired and was prepared to add on to a couple if necessary. Most items seemed to pull in a 1/2 dozen or so bids. Hard to know if there were any fights to the finish as the timing appears to be programmed to let every bid sit in case of another. A fascinating process and it allowed me to NOT develop auction fever and go bid crazy!
The following are just a small sampling of the 350 items. Most were not Ken and not of interest to me here. Take a look at the Thériault’s site (link below) if you want the complete set of listings https://www.theriaults.com/events/event/317/sparkling-barbie-doll-auction-saturday-april-18-2026
kEN and BARBIE were sold separately. This fuzzy head KEN realized $300.00, a good price for this “what appeared to be” mint doll; complete w intact tag, box and accessories.
Nice! It was, many years ago, the loose outfit on my first KEN doll purchase. I’ve never owned one NRFB and did not attempt the purchase here. I did like watching the bids though and thought the price was very fair. I’ve seen it go for more (and less) on EBAY.
Both of these are in my collection, which also Includes 1 or sometimes 2, of the complete Pak series, including the variations. The “Shoes for Sports” (left) is fairly easy to find. “Morning Workout” (right) is not. It is fairly rare especially in this condition. It’s one of my fav paks and I presume the bulk of the bid was for this latter article.
There were some loose outfits as well. Some were from the earlier vintage years, not to unusual to find on line and also a few sets of the loose outfits from the later years. This combo for sure caught my eye and held my attention, and while not overpriced it was not inexpensive enough to be picking up duplicates! Again, all the loose outfits are in my collection, these 3 in very good condition, so I just watched.
There were several straight leg molded hair KENS present, some with box some not but generally then in an ensemble. They went for approximately $150.00 plus or minus.
There was also a very nice selection of Travel and Little Theatre costumes both NRFB and on Dressed Box Dolls. Okay, so one had caught my eye when I first visited the site and was pretty much where I expected it to be in the final bids, so I pushed the button, and won. I missed it on eBay many years ago and felt since I had not won any of my other bids at this auction and KEN is my Prince in my imagination that I could have him. Can’t wait for his arrival…and to see just what a final bid translates to with fees, shipping and handling, and duty from the good old USA.
KEN A Go Go went for $750.00, a new high in my books!
There were several shareable Barbie and KEN pieces of real estate and larger “accessory pieces. I don’t own this one in teal. And please note KEN did not come with it, he was a separate bid!
One of the most interesting items was this ALLAN prototype. Truly one of a kind and truly rare. No where near my price range even on a splurge and I thought (and yes I know $850.00 is a lot of money) it would pull in even more. There were Barbie pieces, regular stock, going for 5 figures after all!
Thanks THERIAULT’S for a most interesting Saturday afternoon.
https://www.theriaults.com/events/event/317/sparkling-barbie-doll-auction-saturday-april-18-2026
1964 AND BEYOND KEN
YES, THERE WERE OTHERS, AND BY 1964 IT WAS NO LONGER JUST THOSE MANUFACTURING INEXPENSIVE KNOCKOFFS IN THE ORIENT, BUT OTHER KEY U.S. TOY MANUFACTURERS WHO WERE BECOMING INVOLVED, BEYOND MATTEL. WHO WERE NOW WILLING TO MAKE THE MOVE TO MALE DOLLS, BASED ON MATTEL’S RUTH HANDLER’S SUCCESSFUL GAMBLE IN THE NEW MALE DOLL MARKET PLACE. THESE FELLOWS WOULD BE CALLED “ACTION FIGURES”, AND UNLIKE THE COMPLACENT KEN, WHO SEEMED VERY HAPPY TO REMAIN BARBIES’S ACCESSORY AND ESCORT WITH LOTS OF INTERESTING FASHIONS TO LET YOU BUY FOR HIM TO COORDINATE WITH YOUR BARBIE, THESE FELLOWS WERE PRIMARILY STAND ALONE, RUGGED, INDIVIDUALS, WHO WERE MEN OF ACTION FIRST, AND INSTEAD OF FASHIONABLE MENSWEAR THEY NEEDED A VAST SELECTION OF COSTUMES AND APPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR CHOICE OF OCCUPATION, BE IT JAMES BOND 007 AND “FRIENDS”, THE MEN OF UNCLE; NAPOLEAN SOLO AND ILYA KURYAKIN, STONY: ALREADY, A GI JOE CLONE, COWBOY JOHNY WEST AND HIS CHEROKEE NATIVE SIDEKICK.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
GI JOE WAS AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES BY THE LATE SUMMER OF 1964. I KNOW BECAUSE I HAD SEEN HIM AT PAY’N’SAVE DRUGSTORE IN BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON, EN ROUTE HOME FROM A FAMILY TRIP TO CALIFORNIA. INSTEAD OF PURCHASING HIM THEN AND THERE, I TOLD MY PARENTS THAT I WOULD PREFER THAT THIS LAST BIT OF MY HOLIDAY SPENDING MONEY WENT TO THEM. WE HAD HAD A FAIRLY MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT IN LA THAT I KNEW, EVEN AT MY NEW FULL 8 YEARS OLD, WENT BEYOND THE BUDGET. GI JOE WAS HOWEVER, WAITING FOR ME JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER, UPON MY ARRIVAL HOME FROM SCHOOL ONE DAY. HE WAS THE MARINE, AND HE WAS AMAZING, ALL THAT FULL ACTION MOVEMENT AND A SCAR ON HIS FACE, NO MORE TEASING ME FOR PLAYING WITH GIRLS TOYS…WOW. FOR CHRISTMAS THAT YEAR I RECEIVED ALL 4 OF THE “COSTUMES” BELOW, WHICH CAME IN BEAUTIFUL PICTURE FRAME PACKAGING, COMPLETE WITH THE MOST DETAILED EXTRAS TO ROUND OUT THE UNIFORM. SHORTLY AFTER I ALSO RECEIVED THE SCUBA SUIT AND INFLATABLE LIFE RAFT AND THE ALPINE PATROL WITH REAL FUNCTIONING SKI BINDINGS, THIS STUFF WAS AS CLOSE TO REAL AS YOU COULD GET, MADE WITH INCREDIBLE QUALITY. …SPOILED…YES, WOW…YES…I DID NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT SUCH A LANDFALL WOULD OCCUR THAT CHRISTMAS. I DID TOSS THEM WITH FIRECRACKERS OFF OF HUGE LEAF MOUNTAINS; I LIVED ON THE EDGE OF A LARGE PARK, AND SKIED DOWN BARELY THERE SNOW COVERED HILLS BUT I ALSO KEPT THEM PERFECTLY ON DISPLAY WHENEVER THEY WERE NOT IN USE. NOTE: GIRLS PLAYED. BOYS USED.
2026 – 65 AMAZING YEARS
Kenneth Sean “Ken” Carson Jr. “Ken” (from “fictional” Willows, Wisconsin), premiered at the New York toy show in March of 1961.
He came in a smart illustration covered box, wearing red swim trunks, with a protective cellophane wrap covering his flocked hair and freshly painted face for added protection. he was also wearing his KEN wrist tab. The cello packet with a towel and sandals and the perfect boolklet of all his available fashions was also included.
HAPPY BITHDAY DEAR KEN!
KEN AND ME 