Nestled in the industrial neighborhood of Union City lies a legion of America’s favorite blonde doll.
Sandi Holder’s Doll Attic is an office building turned showroom that features one of the world’s largest collections of Barbie dolls.
Figurines dating back from the 1950s fill the dozens of displays, representing Barbie and her friends in thousands of different scenarios and wardrobes.
The museum houses over 2,000 different dolls, but tour guide Heidi Chung is quick to mention that there are simply “too many” to get an accurate count.
This brightly-painted 2,500-square-foot room serves as the official holding place of Holder’s has amassed over the last 20 years.
The many cases cover various styles of Barbie dolls, but the museum’s primary focus is rare and vintage collector’s pieces.
Some of Holder’s most cherished finds include a first edition 1959 Barbie, a life-size Barbie, Ken, movie props and unreleased doll head factory prototypes.
“Ideally, collectors should just go with whatever interests them,” said Chung. “There are boxes that say ‘Collector’s Edition’ but there is no one rule about what makes a doll worth more in the future. The best advice I can give is if you play with them, try to keep them in good condition or just leave them in the box.”
Another way, besides the price, to tell the difference between a regular toy and potential gem is to “look at the quality of the plastic and what type of fabric the clothes are made of,” according to Chung.
The museum also features several Barbie outfits, accessories, licensed merchandise and other classic Mattel toys such as Chatty Cathy and Tammy dolls.
“Tammy was similar to Barbie but not as popular,” said Chung. “She was made for young children whereas Barbie is marketed more towards older girls and adults.”
Owner Sandi Holder was awarded the 2006 Union City Citizen of the Year award and holds a current Guinness World Record for the highest price ever paid for a single Barbie, a Ponytail #1 doll—which sold for $25,700 at auction.
Holder is a staple of the Barbie community, proudly draping her convention badges of years past on the staircase and boasting a résumé that includes appearances in film and TV.
Last year, she used her expertise to write the coffee table book Barbie: A Rare Beauty.
The book and several newer edition Barbies are available for purchase inside the store area of the museum entrance.
“We sell and appraise dolls, so most of our business is done online,” Chung said, “but we get about one or two visitors a day, usually other collectors or parents bring in their kids.”
