~y Shore News arbie: a mirror of her times Barbie collector Stefanie Deutsch pursues her passion all over the world PAST PRESS clippings describe Stefanie Deutsch as having Barbie fever or as living with a Barbie virus. By Michael Becker News Reporter Her fixation 1s simply the symp- tom of the consuming focus of a collgclor, be it Barbies or be it butterflies. Deutsch, a 30-year-old Sawyer who recently emigrated from Germany, lives in a Caulteild-area home with her parents. I's a new and well-situated home with a fine view, a place Barbie would feel comfortable in, were it reduced and replicated to fit the diminutive scale of her plastic world. There is a Barbie shrine in the Deutsch home. A walk through the display is unsettling, for ultimately it is a multi-hued Lilliputian expression of decadence. Barbie, Ken and the many other little people in the couple’s fast social circle show their perfect faces hundreds of times over. It is a self-contained, — static reflection of perceived perfection. The various detailed expressions of clothing design attuched to the dolls move them through time. The procession is srrangely fascinating. Says Deutsch, “‘! never did play with Barbie when I was a girl. [ played with baby dolls and animals. “None of my friends played with Barbie dolls. It wasn’t as NEWS photo Terry Peters WV BARBIE collector Stefanie Deutsch stopped counting after amassing about 2,300 deoils. Six years ago she founded a Barbie coilector club for Germany, Austria and Switzerland for which she writes a newsletter. common as it was here.” She began her collection by purchasing Barbies at flea markets as an 18-year-old living in Ger- many. “Then | noticed how many dif- ferent Barbies there are and ac- cessories, and then ! got caught. “*I’m mostly interested in Bar- MOBINA JAFFER is seeking the Federal Liberal Nomination in Mobina is a long-time North Vancouver : resident, a community leader, a lawyer, and a business woman. we. For twenty years Kenneth Gordon School has provided full curriculum education in emotionally supportive smali classes, with individualized teaching and tutoring by specially trained and qualified staff. Ts your 6 to 13 year old frustrated with difficulties in reading, writing and ther language related skills? KENNETH GORDON SCHOOL FOR SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES 524-5224 7&55 Meadow Avenue, Burnaby, 8.C. VSN 2V8 “ifyou can't learn the way we teach, 30 we'll teach the way you learn” [7f~ North Vancouver You can help! Please call: 929-5892 or 736-5100 bies because they are a mirror of their imes,’’ she said. She stopped counting after amassing about 2,300 dolls. Six years ago she founded a Barbie collector club for Ger- many, Austria and Switzeriand. There are about 100 members. She writes a German language Calour Print Fitm newsletter for the club. She hes contacts with collectors ail over the world. She buys and trades. Deutsch does nat have every Barbie ever created. ‘Nobody does. It would be thousands of dolf types. { think I'm complete ir: American, Ger- SAVE-ON-FOODS PARK & TILFORD ANNOUNCES * Photofinishing Equipment To Celebrate, We're Having A - 24 Exposure : Receive a second set of prints for only $1.00 2 Set Prices: All Photo Albums Plus Many In-store Specials. Two Weeks Only — Nov. 29 ~ Dec. 12, 1992. 14 HOUR PHOTO LAB & SPORTS CARD CENTRE * PARK & TILFORD LOCATION ONLY! SAVE: ORF Simply the Best OPEN EVERYDAY 8 AM- MIDNIGHT '@) a man aid Canadian dotis from the beginning ta 1989-90, "" Purstut oof her passion now comes down to oa question of Menev and space. To fuel collectable fires. Mattel, the maker of Barbie. releases countless Barbie permutations an- ually. Deutsch is most enthusiastic about Barbie and associates circa 19604, “Pm interested in Barbies noe just because of the dolJs, but kecause of the accessosies and outfits. “They were very weil-made. like the fashion of the "60s. That’s what ! like most." she says. The 19605 alo saw Barbie become more physically agile. She twisted and turned, her legs und arms bended. Said Deutsch, ‘We had Barbies that were able to kiss, to blink, to walk, to talk, to grow and grow hair. “The talking declls, old ones, you pulled a string and she said things tike, ‘What should | wear? Will { go to the party?’ or some- thing fike this," she added. The big picture provided by a Barbie collection of the magnitude and denth assembled by Deutsch is a rather telling snapshot of postwar passions as played out in the hands of young girls. Japan, Germany and the United . States are meshed in the fun- damental collision of cultures rep- resented in the creation of Barbie as product. . Barbie was preceded by Bild- Lilli, a plastic doll version of a See Japanese page 49 ee ale