The Barbie Doll was “born” March 9, 1959, and sold 350,000 units its first year of production. Matel, Inc., which owns rights to the doll, reports that more than a billion dolls have been sold since. Idea for the doll came from Ruth Handler, whose husband Elliott was co-founder of Mattel. She presented the idea for such a doll to him and both he and the firm’s directors were less than enthusiastic. Mrs. Handler returned from a European trip with an example of what she perceived for Mattel, and Barbie was born. Mattel purchased rights to the other doll in 1964. Barbie is sold in more than 150 countries.