Relatively few collectors exist but Lillis from Germany have a considerably cult value status of late, since over the last few years, has been featured in many museum shows and studies and appearing in various books, some of which have gotten the facts wrong. These dolls have become practically mythic and justifably so...they were a great innovation for dolls at the time. I was the first author to extensively write about “Bild” Lilli in my book, “Barbie, Her Life and Times” (Crown Publishers, New York).

While German Lilli is of a very high quality, as are the Miss Seventeen outfits, (they truly can be called “designer” fashions considering who designed them!) the general ilk is very poorly made, at best mediocre, so don’t be shocked by seams showing and a pinched make-up look due to hasty painting by Hong Kong factory workers. Yet , for example, even though Babs and her wardrobe are of particularly lower end quality, it does not mean that these dolls are without interest. The doll, as Lilli in any incarnation is, has a special allure which is practically poetic. The painted Hong Kong Lilli’s found in Germany and Austria are of particular interest and are as rare as the original German-made Lilli. The entire “genre” is very poignant - retrospectively speaking.

For all of these dolls, their social message and their materials from the era make them worthy of collection. I feel any Barbie doll collection, or for that matter any fashion doll collection of the twentieth-century, should have at least a few examples of each of these glamorous dolls, not only to show the Barbie doll origins but more importantly this glamorous, hard-edged period when women were commonly portrayed as sexy, men-snaring, and aggressive sex objects. As it was a relatively brief period, these dolls very poignantly portray this western trend and rather perfectly imitate the real world of popular culture as well as fashion for the middle classes. Their dreams and values, such as marriage, wealth, and seduction, were exactingly shown and taught to little girls.

These dolls are no longer easy to find. They are now considered quite rare, more than any collectible Barbie doll naturally since they existed for a much shorter period and in lesser quantities....for which often they eventually were destroyed...but with diligent searching they can be found and collected. Out of box, they would be difficult to identify as well as the clothing and accessories since many of the Hong Kong accessories were used by a number of different second and third rate doll companies.

Mint-in-box, they can be un-boxed and put on dolls for display without any risk of destroying any important elements of the “collectibility." While I recommend keeping the packaging, I feel it is incidental whether or not the doll is kept inside. Most likely, for relatively little money and effort you can find several examples and opt to save one in the box if you are so concerned with posterity. A very fun book, written by Silke Knaak, called "Deutsche Modepuppen der 50er + 60er - German Fashion Dolls of the 50's + 60's" shows some of these dolls as well as many Lilli costumes and dolls....well worth reading, as it's written obviously with a collector in mind and by a passionate collector with a fabulous collection. You can find this book on ebay.

I think that with little effort, one can assemble an interesting collection of these type of dolls and can, with wit and perseverance, beautifully illustrate a fabulous moment when post-war pin-ups, nearly emancipated hookers, Hollywood starlets, floozies and wannabes, glamour goddesses, sex-appeal, and teenagers were reigning as queens.