MALIBU KEN #1088
During 1977 the box for Malibu Ken was altered slightly. This new box is much smaller, and the graphics have changed a little, with the Mattel logo at the bottom. It is still dated 1975, as are all the pink Malibu Ken boxes.
A note about the later markings: The single end number (for example the number 1 below) after the longer code no. 1088 0500 is not particularly significant or exclusive to any one doll. Most of the dolls from this period can be found with end numbers from 1-6.
THE NOW LOOK KEN #9342
The second version of The Now Look Ken is made of an inferior plastic and has quite a ghastly skin tone, but is certainly better-looking. His rooted hair is shoulder-length, and he has rear-facing hands. There are also minimal differences in the outfit, with a lighter scarf, darker buttons, and trousers which are cut looser around the hips.
The first box below is the original large version, like the one which came with The Now Look Ken from 1976. As with the Malibu Kens above, the later boxes were smaller, with slightly different graphics.
KEN SIMPATIA #7380
Mattel Italy produced a variation of Gold Medal Ken with no medal and a slightly different pair of trunks (orange, pale blue and yellow). He was packaged as Ken Simpatia. The code number remained the same. The box side states the contents were made in Taiwan. This is either a printing error or refers only to the trunks, as I’ve seen several examples of Ken Simpatia, and the dolls themselves were definitely all this same Hong Kong-made Malibu-style Ken.
The packaging reverse has the same design as the front.
The 1977 Canadian Sears Christmas catalogues also show this Ken, describing him only as “Sun-Tanned Ken in bathing trunks” (in French “Ken tout bronzé”). He was packaged as Malibu Ken.
PARTYTIME KEN #9927
Partytime Ken was released in Europe and Canada. He wears a tuxedo which is a two-piece outfit, the dickey being attached to the trousers, and the whole ensemble quite shoddily made. Like the doll, the loafers were made in Hong Kong and are the soft, rubbery kind. Only this Ken and SuperStar Ken from 1978 came with squishy black HK loafers. All other black Hong Kong-produced loafers are made of a harder plastic. In France he was called Ken Party-Time, and in Canada he was also known as Ken à la fête.
BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES
The Mattel dealer and mail order catalogues for 1977 show that only The Now Look Ken and Malibu Ken were now available. The Barbie booklet for 1977 only has Kens modelling his clothing range.
The Italian booklet below uses prototypes which show Ken Simpatia and Partytime Ken with side-facing hands. The actual Kens all came with rear-facing hands, as shown above.
The French Mattel catalogue from 1977 erroneously shows Malibu Ken with the code number of Funtime Ken (#7194). The German catalogue has the regular 1088 code number. Both catalogues however show the same photo of him with a yellow towel, and the German catalogue even mentions it in the text. I believe this is also an error. There is no reason why the green-shorts Malibu Ken would only be given a towel in 1977, and no such genuinely NRFB version has ever appeared to my knowledge. In the Dutch and German Barbie booklets there are only three towels shown with the three girl dolls and Ken, suggesting one of those dolls (logically Ken) came without.
In the French Jouets Weber catalogue, The Now Look Ken is described as Ken New-Look.
The French catalogues below show a Malibu Ken wearing the Partytime Ken outfit, but as far as I know no blonde version of Partytime Ken was ever sold.
Partytime Ken is one of the most commonly found vintage Kens in Europe. This is probably because he was still available for sale as late as 1981.
