Ruth Handler voluptuous figure. While the Handler family was vacationing in Europe, Ruth Handler saw the German Bild Lilli doll (which was not a children's toy, but rather an adult gag gift) in a Swiss shop and brought it home. The Lilli doll was a representation of the same concept Ruth had been trying to sell to other Mattel executives. Once home, she reworked the design of the doll and named her Barbie after the Handlers' daughter, Barbara. Barbie debuted at the New York toy fair on March 9, 1959, but was not an immediate success. When Disney introduced The Mickey Mouse
Maco (toy company) of products and did not operate in other countries. Competitors included Hawk Model Company, Applause Inc, and Louis Marx and Company. In 1955, the New York City Council passed a bill to "ban the manufacture, sale or possession of imitation revolvers that resemble the real article too closely". In a debate about the measure, an Army .45 caliber automatic manufactured by Maco was used as an example of a toy gun which was similar enough to the real model to be used as a weapon in a robbery. Maco (toy company) Maco Toys, Inc., was the name of a popular