Anita Baird Restores Classic Barbie Dolls to Museum Quality ‘For the Smiles’
By Dianna Troyer
Discarded Barbie dolls get a second life with the restorative hands and imagination of Anita Baird.
“I do it for the smiles,” the Rupert resident says. “People of all ages—kids and those who are still kids at heart—look at them and can’t stop smiling. The staff at our local women’s shelter was grateful for them and gave them to their clients.”
Anita’s family, friends, and other Barbie restorers worldwide marvel at her restored dolls and the details in the clothes she has sewn as well as the dollhouses she has made with tiny furnishings.
The oldest doll in her collection of 94 Barbies and accompanying dolls is from 1964. In the living room, she stands atop Anita’s piano in a black velvet coat with white gloves and a polka-dot black dress to greet visitors. 2 Skipper dolls, Barbie’s little sister, stand on either side.
Around the corner, Anita’s sewing room, where she displays her collection of the timeless cultural icon, resembles a museum. Friends and family, who have nicknamed Anita “The Doll Doctor,” urged her to have an open house to show her collection and to share Barbie’s story.
“September 1959 is a special time for Barbie collectors because that’s when Mattel Inc. started selling her at toy stores,” Anita says. Since then, more than 1 billion Barbie dolls have been sold in 150 countries, according to Mattel. Still wildly popular, the toy manufacturer reports that 58,000,000 Barbie dolls are sold annually worldwide—about 100 per minute.
Ruth and Elliott Handler, founders of Mattel with partner Harold Mattson, launched the brand and named the doll for their daughter, Barbara. In 1961, they introduced Ken, named after their son. Ruth devised the doll when she noticed her daughter playing with adult paper dolls. To encourage girls to choose any career, Ruth gave Barbie more than 250 occupations.
“I’ve hosted two Barbie open houses,” Anita says. “Seeing people’s reactions to them was so much fun.” At 1 open house, Rupert resident Vickie Edgar marveled at the details in the clothes.
“I was so impressed with the beautiful gowns and suits and other outfits,” says Vickie, a retired home economics teacher. “All the clothing was done so precisely to scale—the little buttons, the little pleats, everything was just so perfect. I’ve taught sewing classes and have sewn for others, too, so I know how difficult it can be. She’s so talented and has done a fantastic job.”
Vickie says she has seen Barbie dolls donated to thrift stores or thrown out because “their hair is a tangled mess.” “By the time Anita is done with them, their hair is refashioned into lovely braids or a ponytail,” she says. Anita finds dolls at thrift stores or garage sales. Friends and family often find dolls and give them to her as well.
To restore dolls, Anita first scrubs them with dish soap and hot water. Next, she applies hair conditioner and combs out tangles. Then she swishes the hair in boiling water before styling it. If the doll has ink stains, she soaks a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol to remove the marks. For stubborn stains, she applies acne cream or Calcium, Lime and Rust Remover.
In 2018, Anita realized she was running out of room for her growing doll collection. “I prayed and asked God to guide me and find good homes for some dolls,” she says. “Then I thought of the local women’s shelter. I sewed two outfits for each doll and gave each a comb and brush and a pair of shoes. Then I put each 1 in a plastic bag.”
Anita wrote and printed a card for each bag, which read, “This Barbie has been through some rough times. But she has been rescued, cleaned, and restored to her original beauty as much as possible. She may have some scars and imperfections. Just give her some love and tender care, and she will give you hours of joy.”
With the dolls looking as good as new, Anita dropped by the shelter. “The woman working there said they were perfect for their clients,” she said. “When she read the note I’d written, we both shed a few tears. Then she asked me to make more. I’ve donated 37.”
Anita is far from alone in her appreciation of all things Barbie. Globally, a Facebook forum called “Restored & 1 of a Kind Barbie & other 12 inch Fashion Dolls” has 5,800 members who share restoration tips. Anita has shared a few of her restorations with the group, posting before-and-after pictures.
Anita, 64, has been a fan of Barbie since childhood. “I still have the first doll that my parents gave me when I was 6,” she says. “It was Francie, who is Barbie’s cousin. My older sister sewed clothes for her until I was 8 or 9, when my mom taught me so I could make outfits for her. Later, I had Barbie dolls.”
During their childhood, Anita’s daughter and 2 sons played with Barbie and Ken. “Now our grandchildren love playing with them, too,” she says. Depending on their condition, vintage Barbie dolls are valuable, Anita says.
“To me, mine are priceless and aren’t for sale,” she says. “I joke with our kids, though, and tell them their inheritance will be these dolls.”