'Barbie' movie revives interest in doll collectors' market
By Rachel Nostrant and Julia Harte
(Reuters) — Matthew Keith bought his first Barbie dolls in the 1970s using his allowance money, hiding them from his parents for fear they would say the toys were not masculine enough.
Today, 22 feet of bookshelves in his Los Angeles home are filled with his Barbie collection, worth around $20,000. The middle school teacher's Instagram account, «DollsOnTheBrain,» has more than 70,000 followers — about 15,000 of whom he picked up in the last few weeks.
What used to be an arcane hobby has become far more popular recently, fueled by the advertising campaign and audience anticipation around this weekend's film release of «Barbie.» At thrift stores, vintage Barbie dolls have become a treasured find, prices in the collectibles market have soared, and antiques appraisers have been flooded by calls from new collectors.
Keith, 55, welcomes the enthusiasm.
«I am both happy and hopeful that this will move the needle on Barbie acceptance for everyone,» he said in an interview, adding there are still many little boys who feel pressured not to play with the dolls.
The «Barbie» movie, which opened Friday, is expected to rake in $100 million in U.S. theaters on its opening weekend. Retailers around the world are also hoping to profit off its hype with Barbie-themed offerings from hotel suites to toothbrushes and apparel.
Not all longtime collectors of the iconic doll are as delighted as Keith by the recent interest in Barbie collecting. On a Reddit forum devoted to the pasttime, some complained they were being priced out by wealthy new buyers, due to a spike in interest that surged in the lead-up to the movie.
«I've largely stopped collecting dolls themselves and invest in clothing and accessories
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