The very first Barbie doll was introduced at Toy Fair in New York City in 1959. She was created by a woman named Ruth Handler. Ruth's doll was inspired by a German cartoon character doll that was called Lilli that Ruth had seen on a trip to Germany.
You can easily tell if your Barbie doll is one of the first styles introduced by looking for several very distinct features:
First, she has round holes with copper tubes in the bottom of her feet. Second, her eyes are very distinct. They are only white with black outlines and a bit of blue eye-shadow. Barbie's eyes are white and not blue as in later dolls. Also, Barbie' original eyebrow's are very arched, not rounded. Barbie's hair colour originally came in both blonde and brunette and the very first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and a ponytail.
Today the Barbie doll industry is $1.9 billion dollars a year and it is estimated that three Barbie dolls are sold every second!
You can easily tell if your Barbie doll is one of the first styles introduced by looking for several very distinct features:
First, she has round holes with copper tubes in the bottom of her feet. Second, her eyes are very distinct. They are only white with black outlines and a bit of blue eye-shadow. Barbie's eyes are white and not blue as in later dolls. Also, Barbie' original eyebrow's are very arched, not rounded. Barbie's hair colour originally came in both blonde and brunette and the very first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and a ponytail.
Today the Barbie doll industry is $1.9 billion dollars a year and it is estimated that three Barbie dolls are sold every second!
