Elliot Handler daughter, Barbara, who was the namesake of Barbie dolls; and a son, Kenneth (who died of a brain tumor in 1994) who was the namesake of Ken dolls. While a struggling art student and designer of light fixtures, Handler partnered with Harold Matson to design a realistic-looking miniature piano that received roughly 300,000 orders; however, they mispriced the product and lost a dime on each one produced. Mattel received its name from business partners Harold Matt Matson and Elliot Handler in 1945. Elliot's wife, Ruth, took Matson's role when the Handlers bought his share in the late 1940's. Ruth Handler
Maco (toy company) Maco (toy company) Maco Toys, Inc., was the name of a popular toy company based in Brooklyn, New York which produced war-themed toys for children in the 1950s and 1960s. Their toys were sold in a catalog that was illustrated by Tony Tallarico and printed by Charlton Comicswhich presented itself as a war comic book. (These toys were also sold in toy stores.) Products included plastic guns (including the M1903 Springfield rifle and an Army Paratrooper Carbine ), grenades, and a plastic Molotov cocktail. The company's products were available in stores throughout the United States, but had a limited range