Comments on: Not all Black dolls by Mattel are Shani

By: Erica

Erica — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:09:38 +0000

im 18, asian female, and i will always love dolls, i always have and i always will, but growing up the only two asian barbies were “Asian Barbie Of The World” and the girl from “Mulan”, so i only had two asian dolls growing up =/ two asians versus ten whites versus three blacks versus two hispanics versus two kens. This is the normal doll ratio, huh? Lots of white girls, not enough blacks/asians/hispanics, and NEVER enough kens!! haha

By: Bledri

Bledri — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:01:32 +0000

I bought a played Shani on an auction. Her markings is
© 1991 Mattel. Inc
Malaysia

if it can help. However I am not sure what year and model she is yet. I guess it’s the thrill of finding out that made me buy her. She has green and blue eyes, ring and earholes. I think she is one of the beach line dolls.

By: Chdenni

Chdenni — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:19:48 +0000

1966 is the patent date of the body mold. The will often modify parts of the body but still keep the patent date. A good example is the original 1966 t’nt body. The torsoo was a little slimmer (closer to shani’s) and of course the waist was cut at a harsh angel. In 1977 with the Superstar barbie they dropped the angular waist and made her bust and torso wider. In my opinon it’s a different body.

By: Therese

Therese — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:49:08 +0000

no… I think my doll definitely has the TnT 1966 body – I’ve checked her with my other Superstar dolls… 1966 is the year of the body sculpt patent, the modern dolls don’t twist at the funny mod angles but they have the same shape.

By: Therese

Therese — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:46:38 +0000

omg! thanks heaps!!!

By: D7ana

D7ana — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:26:47 +0000

On Shani’s lower back, above the waist break, the two lines read:

[Copyright symbol] MATTEL USA.1966
MALAYSIA

I don’t know why lots of dolls have body stamps 1966 when the dolls were produced years after. Shrug. Chdenni has more details – thanks to you both, I am getting a richer doll education.

So your doll might have the original Shani body, Therese! Good news, hmm?

By: Chdenni

Chdenni — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:52:06 +0000

BTW the over all shape of the 1991 shani body is slimmer but the buttocks do portrude more. The 1966 barbie body has a bigger torso and bust and much wider hips and the buttock are a little flatter shani’s

By: Chdenni

Chdenni — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:44:21 +0000

The first set of Shani, Nichelle and Asha did have the 1966 body. All of the others had the body stamped 1991, which is basically the same as the silkstone barbie body. I dont have pictures but what made the first Shani body so exciting were her smaller perkier boobs, the thicker more muscular legs, longer neck and the waist twisted at a slight angel. The early Byron Lars dolls and Tangerine Twist have the original body. When it first came to the regular barbie line with the cuduroy cool dolls they had shortened the neck and cut about 1/8 off of the waist so that it doesnt twist at an angel anymore. They later added more length to the neck but waist is still modified.

By: Therese

Therese — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:44:29 +0000

Hey Dana, would you be able to check what’s stamped on her back? thanks… my Shani uses the 1966 body, strange huh?

By: D7ana

D7ana — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:31:41 +0000

Therese,

Interesting article. I’ll read it when I have some free time. For now though, here’s a link and permission to use two photos I took of Shani’s friend, Nichelle. I bought Nichelle years ago when the Shani line was new. I bought her NRFB in a store.

Nichelle on Webshots

Non-collectors tend to have selective hearing and to do superficial research when using dolls and action figures. Good luck providing the facts of the matter.