| The Dolls of the World Princess Collection has been one of the loveliest put out by Mattel for Barbie collectors, in my estimation. The outfits are historically accurate, and one feels like s/he is buying 'a piece of history' when one of the newest editions is released. This latest addition has the brand-new box design, with a double lid (top and bottom) which provides much more stability to its packaging and prevents a lot of the box collapse, plastic window damage and 'shelf wear' that occurred in shipping and storing with the box design of the first fourteen dolls. If you are a serious collector, boxes are part of the collectability and this is an important issue, especially if one is trying to hold the doll's value for the future. (This is the reason I gave the item 5 stars for durability.) The doll herself is a work of art...the face is exquisite, the dress is a simple but colorful and accurate cotton shift with manteau, and there is a plethora of 'gold' ornamentation in the jewelry. The hair is black and silky, and the gold-and feather headdress must be seen to be appreciated. As with the others in the collection, she has her own stand and COA with passport, should you care to display her out of the box (which does reduce the ultimate value). This doll's value should seriously appreciate in the future and she is a wonderful, colorful addition to the collection, whether you own only one other, or all of the others. I rate the doll with 5 stars for 'fun' simply because, to me, owning it is a joy. But if I were to give one as a gift, I would want it to go to an older child, perhpas at least ten or twelve years old, with an appreciation for the doll as an object of art, and not as a toy. |
