Meet Marl & B Inc

From Left to Right: Brooke, Marl and Grace

Where it all began
Long-time doll dealer and show promoter Marl Davidson. owner of Marl &  B recently spoke with your Guide about life as a doll dealer and doll show promoter.  Marl has been a doll dealer for over 22 years. Her introduction to dolls was when she started collecting Madame Alexander for her daughter Kimee and got then introduced to the Cabbage Patch dolls.  Marl "thought they were so cute, and I found myself in the middle of the craze.  In the midst of all of  that commotion, someone offered me a small, yet impressive Barbie collection.  I had heard a great deal about Barbie and had a real good feeling about her."  So, Marl bought the small collection of Barbies, and the rest is history!"  From that point on (about 22 years ago) Marl became a doll dealer specializing in modern and vintage Barbie®.  However in the last few years Marl has expanded her line to include Gene®, Tyler Wentworth, Integrity Toys, Dressmaker Details, Randall Craig, Sybarite and other modern fashion dolls which have been part of the recent fashion doll renaissance.

Marl is a collector as well as a dealer and her favorite dolls are Sybarites and Fashion Royalty.  Marl says that these dolls are her favorites  "because each has their own charm and personality. However, if Marl could only have ONE doll in her collection, the doll she would pick would be a "pristine #1 brunette with bright red lips and pink skin."

Marl(right) and Barbie

The "Joe and Marl" Doll Shows

On top of her busy web site sales, Marl used to be one of the promoters of the popular "Joe and Marl" shows.  Joe is Joe Blitman,  a well-known fashion doll dealer on the West Coast. Regarding the "Joe and Marl" shows, Marl told me how they got started and what it is like to do the shows: 

"Back in 1992, Joe Blitman phoned me up and said he was gonna do a show in New York, and I said, "Not without me you're not!" I went, and Joe went, and we had such a blast, we decided to do another one, and that one was so much fun, we were hooked."   Every show is different, because the people and places are a little different at each location. It's a family affair for me. Dale drives the stuff to the show, everything except Las Vegas, or if he is not available, I take six trunks on the plane. I've never lost my Barbie trunks going to a show, just my clothes."

Marl explains further how much of a family affair the shows are:  "My children, Scott and Kimee, and my sisters Nanny, and Linda come to help out. My mother, Irene, made it to Las Vegas.    Sometimes show day is so wild, we eat room service, which is grilled chicken sandwiches, Caesar salad and maybe, a bottle of wine. Whenever we can, we try to get out to a local restaurant."  Unfortunately for Marl and family, busy shows don't always allow for such luxuries!

Selling a #1 Barbie

According to Marl, the most exciting thing that can happen at a show is to sell a Number One Barbie. She says: "it's not the money involved, it's the way the customer reacts. It is just absolutely too great to see the look on someone's face when they get this doll you know they have been dreaming about owning! The glow that comes from the brand new owner of a perfect Number One is something we only get to see a few times, and it makes up for any bad days we might have."

Marl admits that she does shop the shows when she gets a chance.  Usually, she says that she has a list of things her customers have asked for, but she also keeps her eyes open for other special goodies. In an exceedingly exciting moment, Marl "recently found "Glimmer Glamour" -- a Sears exclusive mod outfit, circa 1968!  It is so rare, I never expected to see one!"

We're so glad you stopped by!!!

We set up this special welcome Page for those of you who may be first time customers. Take a moment to read a little about our website, and us, too!

Our Dolls

Barbie Dolls In Stock
This is where you go to find the newest Barbie dolls available for immediate shipment. We update this Page as soon as the Preorders are filled and we know if we have any left for open sale, so be sure to bookmark it and check back regularly.
Barbie Preorder
PreOrdering a doll is just what it sounds like. We have a list of dolls to be produced, you give us a deposit, which is usually 25% of our estimated retail price. We bill your card for the deposit, and then, when the doll arrives, Rob puts all the Preorder Dolls in a pile, those get shipped out first. If there are any left, we put them on the instock page.
It is important that you know that there are NO REFUNDS on Preorder Deposits. This is because we base our orders to the manufacturers on how many dolls we think you want, and if you cancel your preorder, we still have to pay the manufacturers.
Vintage Barbie
Vintage Barbie is the heart of Marl & B. -- you'll find thousands of vintage items in our online catalog. Everything from fabulous original 1959 Number One Barbie dolls to a left shoe to a particular outfit. We've got original structures and furniture, even vintage planes and automobiles for Barbie and her Family and Friends!
If you're just thinking about beginning a vintage collection, may we suggest you buy one of our vintage booklets before you start? Remember when you were a kid and memorized the pages, checking off the outfits you hoped you would get for your birthday or Christmas? Take a trip down memory lane and begin by collecting your favorite outfit or perhaps one you always wished you had....
Reference Books
are the best way to educate yourself on collecting. Marl has written two books you'll find in our book catalog, just ask and she'll autograph them for free!
We have books specific to members of the Barbie Family, such as Skipper and Francie, and books just about certain eras, such as Mod, books that cover other dolls, too, like Dawn and of course, Sarah Eames Barbie Fashions.....
Kitty Collier
is an 18 inch fashion doll by Robert Tonner. She reminds us of the Miss Revlon from the late fifties and early sixties, but she is definitely a modern doll! One of the sweetest faces on the fashion doll scene, Robert Tonner also created...
Tyler Wentworth
a 16 inch fashion doll. Tyler's body is slightly different from Gene, but she can share some of her clothing, and also many of the Alex fashions. Some of the Tyler dolls that will be new this fall have bent arms as well as knees.
Newsletter
You'll want to sign in and get a free newsletter. We have super specials advertised on the newsletter that you will never find on our website menu.
Show Schedule
Marl travels around the country to doll shows. Take a look at the schedule, and be sure to check with Marl's travel agent (listed on the show page) to get a discount on your plane tickets.
Shipping Info
Be sure to read this Page before you make your first order. It contains everything you need to know about our shipping, preorder, and payment policies.
Email Marl
Want something you don't see on our site? Do you have a collection or part of a collection you would like to sell? Just Click here to email Marl for the answers you need.

Marl & B, Inc.
10301 Braden Run
Bradenton, FL 34202
PH 941-751-6275 FAX (941) 751-5463