INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH FASHION DOLLS
NOTE: Be sure to click on the picture above to view detailed pictures of the doll and her trousseau. I have put it on my Christmas List. Do you think that Santa has $24,500?
FRENCH FASHION DOLLS - INTRODUCTION
French fashion dolls were the precursors of such popular modern dolls as Barbie, ball-jointed dolls, and even the Bratz dolls!
The earliest fashion dolls were actually life-sized mannequins that were shipped from France to other countries, so people could order clothing and also keep up with the latest trends when making their own clothing. The earliest record is in 1396 which documents the court tailor of Charles VI who received a large sum of money for a doll's wardrobe to be sent to the queen of England from the French court..
Eventually smaller mannequins were made and in 1642 there is a record of 36-inch mannequins being sent from France to England and other countries. These smaller mannequins were called pandoras.
These mannequins were so essential to women, that their delivery could not even be stopped by a war. During the War of the Spanish Succeesion The Abbe Prevost, writing in 1704 wrote:
By an act of gallantry....the ministers of both courts granted a special pass to the mannequin, that pass was always
respected, and during the times of greatest enmity, experienced on both sides, the mannequin was the one object
which remained unmolested.
In 1770 fashion journals were introduced, eventually ending the need for mannequins and pandoras.
Porcelain was first produced by the Meissen factory in 1710 and china head dolls went into production around 1750. Unglazed bisque heads came into use in 1850 and became very popular because of its natural appearance. Dolls made with bisque were less expensive to send around as fashion models and French companies began to make play dolls as well. The golden age of the fashion doll had begun.
This golden age coincided with the age of Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. Under his tenure, steam-power became dominant as the railroads grew and industrial horse-power quintupled. The railroad system streamlined distribution of product and also the procurement of the needed natural resources. The general economic growth spurred application for patents and the transition from a cottage industry to large factories.
Although French companies were the first in Europe to produce bisque dolls heads in large numbers, there are still doubts about the origin of many of the bisque heads. Many of the smaller companies would be quite able to produce the bodies - but the heads were much more complicated and expensive to produce. For this reason, it is believed that many French fashion doll heads were made in Germany. Although the French heads were superior in quality, the competition from Germany threatened the French doll business. The fashion dolls were better able to survive the competition since France had few rivals in the world of Haute Couture.
Heads were either stationary or they were made to swivel. Early doll heads were pressed into the mold, rather than poured as a slip. There were a wide variety of bodies used....wood, blown-leather, leather, gutta-percha, twill-covered wood, leather-covered wood, and even metal. The most common body types is the all kid leather body with gusseted joints and a prominent derriere. The dolls range in size from 9 inches to over 30 inches.
But arguably, the most important part of a fashion doll is...the fashion. The clothing mirrors the fashions of the day and is incredibly varied.. In addition to dresses, the dolls came with everything needed by a well-dressed woman of the era...shoes, hats with detailed decoration, gloves, parasols, corsets, combs, mirrors and more. In an 1865 issue of La Poupee Modele there appeared a list of a complete doll's trousseau. The number of items is staggering. To read the list, go to the bottom of this article, The Parisian Poupee by Letha Berry. In a book titles "Etrennes", Florence Theriault describes a tradition in France of giving New Year's Day gift. Etrennes became "a luxury toy or fancy good fro those you loved, especially the child". This book is full of fabulous etrennes that reveal much of the life style of the rich and the famous of the day.
Girls not only learned how to dress fashionably, but also learned how to sew for their beloved dolls. A magazine, La Poupee Modele, that included patterns was printed in France to help the little girls keep their dolls beautifully dressed and accessorized.
French fashion dolls were created for three purposes....to advertise French fashions around the world; as playthings for little girls; and as educational tools to help girls get ready for their most important roles...wife and mother. Since women greatly outnumbered men and there were very few ways for a single woman to make money...these lovely toys were more than just pretty playthings. Charm and beauty were learned by playing with these dolls - but girls also learned the marketable skill of sewing, should they fail to make a successful marriage. Maree Tarnowska writes in "Fashion Dolls":
For at least one daughter in each family there was the frightening prospect of having to take care of
ageing parents until all hope of marriage and independence was gone. These truths brought great
pressure to bear on young girls to make every effort possible to assure themselves of a good
position in the race for matrimony.
Interest in French fashion dolls began to decline around 1880. They apparently were still used to promote French fashion.In 1807 a report about Jumeau appeared in Pearson's Magazine which stated that Jumeau's lady dolls were exported to England, Spain and Germany in order to promote the sales of Parisian fashions in large department stores. It has also been reported that Jumeau set a doll with 25 trunks full of doll clothes and accessories to Russia. Sadly, this collection has disappeared. For information on 6 prominent makers of French Fashion Dolls, just click on these links:
Introduction | General Links | Barrois | Bru | Gaultier | Huret | Jumeau | Rohmer
FRENCH FASHION DOLLS - INTRODUCTION
French fashion dolls were the precursors of such popular modern dolls as Barbie, ball-jointed dolls, and even the Bratz dolls!
The earliest fashion dolls were actually life-sized mannequins that were shipped from France to other countries, so people could order clothing and also keep up with the latest trends when making their own clothing. The earliest record is in 1396 which documents the court tailor of Charles VI who received a large sum of money for a doll's wardrobe to be sent to the queen of England from the French court..
Eventually smaller mannequins were made and in 1642 there is a record of 36-inch mannequins being sent from France to England and other countries. These smaller mannequins were called pandoras.
These mannequins were so essential to women, that their delivery could not even be stopped by a war. During the War of the Spanish Succeesion The Abbe Prevost, writing in 1704 wrote:
By an act of gallantry....the ministers of both courts granted a special pass to the mannequin, that pass was always
respected, and during the times of greatest enmity, experienced on both sides, the mannequin was the one object
which remained unmolested.
In 1770 fashion journals were introduced, eventually ending the need for mannequins and pandoras.
Porcelain was first produced by the Meissen factory in 1710 and china head dolls went into production around 1750. Unglazed bisque heads came into use in 1850 and became very popular because of its natural appearance. Dolls made with bisque were less expensive to send around as fashion models and French companies began to make play dolls as well. The golden age of the fashion doll had begun.
This golden age coincided with the age of Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. Under his tenure, steam-power became dominant as the railroads grew and industrial horse-power quintupled. The railroad system streamlined distribution of product and also the procurement of the needed natural resources. The general economic growth spurred application for patents and the transition from a cottage industry to large factories.
Although French companies were the first in Europe to produce bisque dolls heads in large numbers, there are still doubts about the origin of many of the bisque heads. Many of the smaller companies would be quite able to produce the bodies - but the heads were much more complicated and expensive to produce. For this reason, it is believed that many French fashion doll heads were made in Germany. Although the French heads were superior in quality, the competition from Germany threatened the French doll business. The fashion dolls were better able to survive the competition since France had few rivals in the world of Haute Couture.
Heads were either stationary or they were made to swivel. Early doll heads were pressed into the mold, rather than poured as a slip. There were a wide variety of bodies used....wood, blown-leather, leather, gutta-percha, twill-covered wood, leather-covered wood, and even metal. The most common body types is the all kid leather body with gusseted joints and a prominent derriere. The dolls range in size from 9 inches to over 30 inches.
But arguably, the most important part of a fashion doll is...the fashion. The clothing mirrors the fashions of the day and is incredibly varied.. In addition to dresses, the dolls came with everything needed by a well-dressed woman of the era...shoes, hats with detailed decoration, gloves, parasols, corsets, combs, mirrors and more. In an 1865 issue of La Poupee Modele there appeared a list of a complete doll's trousseau. The number of items is staggering. To read the list, go to the bottom of this article, The Parisian Poupee by Letha Berry. In a book titles "Etrennes", Florence Theriault describes a tradition in France of giving New Year's Day gift. Etrennes became "a luxury toy or fancy good fro those you loved, especially the child". This book is full of fabulous etrennes that reveal much of the life style of the rich and the famous of the day.
Girls not only learned how to dress fashionably, but also learned how to sew for their beloved dolls. A magazine, La Poupee Modele, that included patterns was printed in France to help the little girls keep their dolls beautifully dressed and accessorized.
French fashion dolls were created for three purposes....to advertise French fashions around the world; as playthings for little girls; and as educational tools to help girls get ready for their most important roles...wife and mother. Since women greatly outnumbered men and there were very few ways for a single woman to make money...these lovely toys were more than just pretty playthings. Charm and beauty were learned by playing with these dolls - but girls also learned the marketable skill of sewing, should they fail to make a successful marriage. Maree Tarnowska writes in "Fashion Dolls":
For at least one daughter in each family there was the frightening prospect of having to take care of
ageing parents until all hope of marriage and independence was gone. These truths brought great
pressure to bear on young girls to make every effort possible to assure themselves of a good
position in the race for matrimony.
Interest in French fashion dolls began to decline around 1880. They apparently were still used to promote French fashion.In 1807 a report about Jumeau appeared in Pearson's Magazine which stated that Jumeau's lady dolls were exported to England, Spain and Germany in order to promote the sales of Parisian fashions in large department stores. It has also been reported that Jumeau set a doll with 25 trunks full of doll clothes and accessories to Russia. Sadly, this collection has disappeared. For information on 6 prominent makers of French Fashion Dolls, just click on these links:
Introduction | General Links | Barrois | Bru | Gaultier | Huret | Jumeau | Rohmer
WORKS CITED
"The Parisian Poupee: French Fashion Dolls | WorthPoint." WorthPoint. 12 Oct. 2008. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/parisian-poup-e-french-fashion-dolls>.
Richter, Lydia, and Joachim Franz. Richter. Collecting Antique Dolls: Fashion Dolls, Automata, Doll Curiosities, Exclusive Dolls. Cumberland, MD: Hobby House, 1991. Print.
Seeley, Mildred, and Vernon Seeley. How to Collect French Fashion Dolls. Tucson, AZ: HP, 1985. Print.
Tarnowska, Maree. Fashion Dolls. Cumberland, MD: Hobby House, 1986. Print.
Theriault, Florence. Etrennes: French Nineteenth Century Holiday Dolls and Playthings. Annapolis, MD: Gold Horse Pub., 1999. Print.
Richter, Lydia, and Joachim Franz. Richter. Collecting Antique Dolls: Fashion Dolls, Automata, Doll Curiosities, Exclusive Dolls. Cumberland, MD: Hobby House, 1991. Print.
Seeley, Mildred, and Vernon Seeley. How to Collect French Fashion Dolls. Tucson, AZ: HP, 1985. Print.
Tarnowska, Maree. Fashion Dolls. Cumberland, MD: Hobby House, 1986. Print.
Theriault, Florence. Etrennes: French Nineteenth Century Holiday Dolls and Playthings. Annapolis, MD: Gold Horse Pub., 1999. Print.