Auto Body Works & Collision Repair

On March 9, 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display at the American Toy Fair in New York City. Barbie’s appearance was modeled on a doll named Lilli, based on a German comic strip character. The Lilli doll later became extremely popular with children. Mattel bought the rights to Lilli and made its own version, which Ruth Handler named after her daughter, Barbara.