On March 9, 1959, the first Barbie doll went on display at the
American Toy Fair in New York City.
Eleven inches tall, with a waterfall of blond hair, Barbie was
the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with
adult features.
The woman behind Barbie was Ruth Handler (below) who
co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945.
After seeing her young daughter ignore her baby dolls to
play make-believe with paper dolls of adult women,
Handler realized there was an important niche in the market
for a toy that allowed little girls to imagine the future.
Barbie creator Ruth Handler (1916 – 2002) with some of
Barbie and Mattel products (1961).
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