An AVON Exclusive
Special Edition
First in a Series
Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie
MATTEL #17690
1997 NRFB MIB NEW
The AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie is dressed in an elegant dress of lavender-on-lavender with a buttoned top, matching hat and a flowing skirt. A stunning broach and beautiful earrings complete the ensemble. This lovely gown certainly gives Barbie a wonderfully professional look of glamour and style.
Barbie’s flowing brown hair is elegantly styled. She has beautiful blue eyes. Also included is a doll stand.
This AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll is in Mint condition In the original Box (MIB) and was Never Removed From the Box (NRFB).
The box, however, does has some minor shelf wear, a few corner dings and a few creases in the box (See pictures for details). We do not hide anything. What you see here is what you get—Buy with confidence. The box measures 13.5 inches x 8 inches x 3 inches. The doll appears to be 11.5 inches tall. The dress appears to flare out to 6 inches. Note: These estimates of the doll’s dimensions and the dress’s dimensions are as accurate as possible considering that the doll has not been removed from the box.
Stored in a smoke-free and pet-free environment.
The inner flap has the story of Mrs. Albee:
We honor Persis Foster Eames Albee, a woman of considerable spirit and style. Born in Newry, Maine in 1836, she was 50 years old, married with two grown children when she accepted David H. McConnell's offer to work in his employ as a door-to-door perfume saleswoman--thus becoming the very first Avon lady.
Mrs. Albee would set out, attired in an outfit very similar to the one that Barbie is wearing now. Going door-to-door in Winchester, New Hampshire, she represented the California Perfume Company, (later to become Avon). At first, she offered just one product. The Little Dot Perfume Set, an item composed of five bottles of different scents. After a sale was made, Mrs. Albee would send in her orders to the New York office where they would be filled and returned by rail to Winchester. Attired as she was in her elegant clothing and with her friendly manner, Mrs. Albee was a welcome sight to her Winchester neighbors. They enjoyed her company and her merchandise; she became so successful that Mr. McConnell ·promoted her to General Agent, a position that required her to recruit other women like herself to go door-to-door.
Mrs. Albee was happily associated with Avon for 25 years. In his 1903 biography of the California Perfume Company, David McConnell said "It is only befitting that we give her the honorary title of Mother of the California Perfume Company, for the system that we now use for distributing our goods was put in practical operation by Mrs. Albee." Because of Mrs. Albee's contributions, Avon features her image on its prestigious Avon recognition awards--Mrs. Albee was truly the first and finest of many very special Avon ladies.
Picture #1:
A picture showing a close-up of the the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll.
Picture #2:
A picture showing the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll in its box with the cover opened showing the inner flap on the left and the doll on the right.
Picture #3:
A picture showing the front flap of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll box. There is a slight inward bowing as if something was stacked on this. Otherwise this cover flap is in excellent condition.
Picture #4:
Another picture showing the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll in its box with the cover opened showing the inner flap on the left and the doll on the right. The upper right and lower right corners have a slight ding.
Picture #5:
A close-up of the inner flap of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie box. Included is the story of Mrs. Albee. At the top is the California Perfume company logo which is the predecessor of AVON and around the boarders are drawings of some of the original products.
Picture #6:
A close-up picture of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll.
Picture #7:
A picture showing the rear of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll box. At the bottom is the UPC (0 74299 176900 6). There is a slight outward bowing as if something was stacked on this. There are two creases on the right side, one 1/3 the way up and is about 1.5 inches long and the other is 2/3 the way up and is about 3 inches long. The flap at the top has been bent upward.
Picture #8:
An angled picture of the front and right-hand side of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie box. The clever design looks like a suitcase from the handle to the metal-like corner guards.
Picture #9:
An angled picture of the front, left-hand side and bottom of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie box.
Picture #10:
An angled picture of the back, right-hand and top of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie box.
Picture #11:
A montage of two pictures showing both side panels of AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll box. On the left is the right-hand panel which looks like a suitcase handle. On the right is the left-hand panel. The left-hand side has a small crease of about 1 inch long.
Picture #12:
A close-up of the bottom of the AVON Special Edition Mrs. P. F. E. Albee Barbie doll box. It has the consumer information box, the manufacturing information (1997), and the MATTEL logo with the number 17690.
Bin BP01