Barbie play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors. During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she
Cyclops (toy company) Cyclops (toy company) Cyclops is an Australian manufacturer of toys, primarily known for children's pedal cars. The business was founded by John Heine Sheet Metal at Leichhardt, New South Wales in 1913. The name Cyclops was registered in 1915 and the company continued to grow during the 1920s and the Depression. In 1946 the company name was officially changed to Cyclops Pty Ltd but it was taken over by a British company after World War II. In 1963 Cyclops Pty Ltd celebrated its 50th anniversary by winning the Australian Wheel toy of the year. It had previously won several Australian