A Japanese Bleuette-Size Doll

In honor of the enthronement of a new emperor and empress of Japan, here is "Momo" by Madelyn Baughman--she is Bleuette size and makes a lovely international friend.

Bleuette Cousin Restored

After being stored for years wrapped in tissue paper in a hatbox, this SFBJ cousin to Bleuette finally received some much needed attention.  Although her incassable head was in perfect condition, her composition body and hands had no paint at all and her composition feet and wood limbs had very little. She needed re-stringing and re-clothing, too.

Her mold is the simply-named "SFBJ Paris," a mold used by the SFBJ mainly in the first 20 years of their company history.  The "SFBJ Paris" mold was used for lovely bisque-headed dolls, incassables, and for a variety of mignonettes in an array of sizes.  Later, in the 1950s, the mark was used again, but not the old molds.

Her head is pasteboard--layers of cardboard or heavy paper steam-pressed in a cast iron mold with glue binding the layers.  Very nice threaded glass sleep eyes join lithographed paper teeth and original mohair wig to create a pleasant expression.  Her feathered eyebrows are painted over molded-in texture, and she has painted lower eyelashes with hair upper lashes. Her feet have the SFBJ 1 mark. She is 13 inches tall (33cm).

This little 20th century French girl now wears a dress made from a pattern published in 1924 in Lisette magazine, Paris.  Years' worth of Lisette patterns were for a 33 cm doll, a perfect fit.

A 1923 Lisette cover

Wardrobe of  Lisette Patterns

Autumn Hats

Crocheted cloche for
G-L 1924-25 Scotland

Crocheted pillbox for
G-L 1954 Gai Matin

Tissue-paper braid Boater
G-L 1934 Domino

Straw cloche for an antique Verlingue mignonette