LONDON - A 1959 Barbie doll dressed in a zebra-print swimming costume and sunglasses has sold for nearly 3,000 pounds at an auction of around 4,000 of the toys.

A "No. 1 Barbie" -- from the first line of Barbies ever manufactured in 1959 -- on display at Christie's auction house in London. Dressed in a zebra-print swimming costume and sunglasses, the doll was sold for nearly 3,000 pounds. [AFP]

The "No. 1 Barbie" -- which sellers thought would fetch 1,200 pounds -- dates from the year the iconic doll made its debut at the New York International American Toy Fair. Now, three Barbies are sold every second.

The collection of Barbies, thought to be the largest in private hands, belonged to Dutch fashionista Ietje Raebel and is expected to fetch a total of 100,000 pounds by the end of the auction at Christie's of London.

It includes Barbies sporting flamboyant outfits by designers including Givenchy, Christian Dior, Vera Wang and Versace, although the "No. 1 Barbie" is likely to be among the most valuable lots.

Barbie has pursued more than 90 careers since her creation, from serving at fast food chain McDonald's to being an astronaut, and has dated Brad, Allan and Australian hunk Blaine, as well as long-term partner Ken, with whom she split in 2004.

Produced by American toy company Mattel, Barbie was invented by Ruth Handler, who named the doll after her daughter.

Barbie's looks were inspired by Bild Lilli, a 1950s comic strip prostitute created for German newspaper Bild.