The History of Barbie Dolls

Are you a collector searching for unique, one-of-a-kind custom Barbies? Then you’ll find them at Bodnar’s Auction! Children have been playing with Barbies for 65 years, and they’ve now become a collectible that can fetch a high hammer price at auctions. 

While Barbie has gotten a lot of attention recently thanks to Greta Gerwig’s movie starring Margot Robbie, the doll has always had a reputation thanks to its unique origins. If you’re wondering how this famous doll got its start, here’s a quick look at the history of Barbie.

A Brief History of Barbie

Barbie’s Unlikely Origins

To truly understand the origins of this iconic doll, we need to go back to West Germany in the years following World War II. Barbie’s German predecessor, in a sense, was a comic strip character named Bild Lilli. Appearing in the Bild-Zeitung newspaper in Hamburg, Lilli’s comics were risque and intended for an adult audience. After becoming more popular, she was eventually made into a doll and sold as a gag gift.

Despite her bawdy and indecent origins, the Lilli doll was well-received by children, and her popularity grew well outside of her comic strip origins. One of these dolls was eventually seen by 15-year-old Barbara Handler while on vacation in Switzerland. Her mother, Ruth, co-founded Mattel in 1945 with her husband and was partly inspired to create the Barbie dolls after this chance encounter.

The Barbie Doll Is Born

Ruth Handler envisioned a doll with adult features for girls after watching Barbara play dress-up with paper dolls. In her view, girls could more easily envision themselves as adults by playing with dolls modeled after grown-up women. However, the executives of the company opposed the idea. What parent would buy their child a toy with an adult figure? Up until this point, young girls primarily played with baby dolls, and the thought of a toy like Barbie stood in stark contrast to that norm.

Upon seeing the Lilli Doll on vacation, Ruth brought it back to America to prove to the designers at Mattel that they could make something similar — and the rest was history. On March 9, 1959, Barbie made her debut at the Toy Fair in New York City. Also known by her full name, Barbara Millicent Roberts, this 11-inch plastic figure sported her famous black and white striped bathing suit. Other clothes would come later, as would family members, her iconic boyfriend Ken, furniture, and countless accessories.

Visit Bodnar’s Auction Today

On August 1, 2024, Bodnar’s Auction is having a Barbie doll auction sale featuring custom toys from the early 1960s to the present day! With our virtual auction house, Barbie collectors and enthusiasts alike can browse a diverse collection of uniquely created dolls from the comfort of their homes. 

For more information on this event and to learn more about the other toys and collectibles you can find at our other auctions, get in touch today!