This is going to constitute a slightly novel approach. I’m going to
give you her name and tell you all about her… And show you a
picture of her… and then ask you who she is. Of course… as
usual… I will put you on your honor not to Google and/or cheat in
any way. Ready?
This is by way of them thar olden days when pieces of jewelry were
made in representation of famous personalities. Our brooch-du-jour
was made of woods, marquet and inlay. It is unsigned.
Hers is one of the most famous faces in the world. Her name was
Barbara Handler. In 1956 her mother, Ruth Handler and her
children–Barbara and Kenneth–went to Germany where–in a local
newspaper (Die Bild-Zeitung)–a cartoonist had a comic strip about a
working girl named Lilli who was not above using her talents to get
what she wanted from men. An adult-sized toy doll was created in
resemblance of our working girl and it was named Bild Lilli. Though
it was aimed at an adult consumer it soon became popular with
children.
Ruth was born Ruth Mosko. She lived in Denver and was the youngest
of ten children born to Polish immigrants. Her father was a
blacksmith… her mother an illiterate. In 1970 she lost her left
breast to cancer and later developed a line of artificial breasts
made of foam and silicon.
Ruth Handler bought three of the dolls and gave one to her daughter
and bought the other two home in order to have them reworked. She and
her husband began working out of their garage. They founded a toy
company and called it Mattel.
She helped run the company for 30 years and resigned in 1975. In
1978 she and several others were indicted on charges of fraud and
false reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission. She
pleaded no contest to the charges.
The representation you are about to see in no way looks like the
famous visage you are all accustomed to seeing. It’s a 1959
incarnation. I can not tell you more for I fear I have already said
too much. However… let’s give it a whirl shall we? Look at the
brooch… and tell me who you think she is… this daughter of Ruth
Handler.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at http://www.tyler-adam.com where you
will scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that
says Current Tidbits… and you will see represented on our pages a
funny little brooch representing one of the world’s most renowned
figures.
And there ya have it.
That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark