Bleuette's History: 1915 to 1932

What happened next in the history of Bleuette?  The SFBJ was not able to sell only French-made products right away, they were a bit shaken up by the war and having to find a new director.  Their former director was able to keep supply lines from Germany open for a while by importing heads from Germany to the neutral Basque town of Irun on the border of Spain and France.  From there the SFBJ were able to take the heads into France and put dolls together for sale during the war years. Sometimes they had to make do with non-standard parts:  it is thought that the thin, small arms on some Bleuettes come from this period, as do the black, pupil-less eyes. 

Some researchers feel that one of these heads was the Bleuette marked SFBJ 60 Paris 8/0, whose introduction dates from about 1910 to 1915, depending on the researcher.  The earliest of these heads has feathered eyebrows, set blue eyes, painted eyelashes, inset teeth, and very nice painting and bisque.

Sometimes they are marked R or PR, a few have been found marked D. This style of the 60 8/0  Bleuette, characterized by set eyes, was sold until the end of WWI, when the SFBJ introduced sleep eyes.  Some now believe the R was the Recknagel factory, while the PR might have been the Paul Rauschert porcelain factory.  D is sometimes thought to be Simon & Halbig, but could also mean simply Deutschland (Germany, in German). Other heads have been found marked X and Y—common German marks.

Young "Loulotte" with her Bleuette doll

Gautier Publications became a family business. In 1917, Gautier promoted his nephew, Maurice Langeureau to partner, forming Gautier-Langeureau Publications.  Madame Yvonne Langeureau, Maurice’s wife, is known to have designed fashions for the Bleuette clothing catalog, and their little daughter became known to readers of La Semaine de Suzette as “Loulotte,” the baby to whom Bécassine was nursemaid in the weekly Bécassine cartoon. 

Becassine with an older Loulotte

Costume made from the 1908 Becassine pattern 

            A pattern was published in LSDS in 1908 for dressing Bleuette as Bécassine, in the traditional woman’s dress of Breton, the French region where Bécassine was born.  In 1909 the first ready-made Bécassine costume was sold at the Gautier Publications offices, and it was very similar to the LSDS pattern.  Later a simplified version was developed in time to be sold in the first catalog in 1916, and Bécassine’s costume was sold in some form until WWII caused the catalog to cease publication for six years. 

G-L Becassine costume courtesy of Peggy Spivey

During the first World War, Bleuette’s fashions reflected the times.  While the men were engaged in the war, women became the conductors on Paris trolley cars, and a pattern was published in La Semaine de Suzette so that Bleuette could dress as one of the conductresses, including her bag for money and tickets. 

 Bleuette had a Red Cross nurse’s uniform, and a costume designed to look like a British officer’s uniform; it was called “Tipperary,” since so many Irishmen fought for the allies in the British forces.  Last but not least, Bleuette had a blue coat and cap like that of the famous French field marshal, Joffre.

Bleuette uniform cap: pattern illustration

Next, about 1919, the SFBJ mold 301 was brought into use for Bleuette.  This Bleuette was marked with the French size 1, like the Jumeau mold premiere Bleuette.  These Bleuettes have feathered and slightly molded eyebrows, blue sleep eyes, painted lower eyelashes, molded teeth, and very nice painting and bisque. They have earring holes, like the premiere Bleuettes.  Because of the size 1 number and the earring holes, it is thought that the heads were poured in France.  They may also be marked 22 or 22-2, or 23.  The SFBJ 301 Paris 1 Bleuette was used until about 1924. Bleuette’s body remained the same, marked 2 on the back and 1 on the soles of both feet.

Also starting in 1919, Bleuette was given sleep eyes.  Sometimes sleep eyes were put into the older heads with painted upper and lower eyelashes.

 Later Bleuettes would have mohair upper eyelashes to go with their sleep eyes.  Beginning in 1921, the SFBJ 60 Paris 8/0 heads were dated with the last two numbers of the year they were made, so you find 21 through 26 marks in addition to the usual mark.  The painting of these heads varies from nice to rather slap-dash.  Some of the dated heads have “France” below the date, usually the ones dated 24 or 26.  These are supposed to have been made in France.

            In 1924/1925, the SFBJ finally achieved its goal of all-French-made dolls.  They had to, as they were now part of a syndicate of French manufacturers selling all-French-made goods.  It was the patriotic thing to do!  The two head molds for Bleuette from about 1924 until 1928, were both marked Unis France, and were either the 60 8/0 or the 301-1.  

Unis France 60 8/0 courtesy of Peggy Spivey

Unis France is not a company, but a phrase, “United France.”  Numbers designated individual companies or persons belonging to the syndicate.  The SFBJ-made Unis France Bleuettes were marked 71 and 149, along with the mold and size numbers.  These dolls had sleep eyes, mohair upper lashes, painted lower lashes, molded teeth, and feathered eyebrows.  Although they have different mold numbers, they can look very similar.

Kimono sleeve pattern

         As in America, the 1920s were a period of great fashion change, and new prosperity for France.  Bleuette’s patterns and ready-made clothing followed the trend toward short hair and short skirts.  A great innovation begun in the teens was firmly established in twenties’ fashions: the kimono sleeve, cut as one with the dress, blouse, or coat.  Readers of La Semaine de Suzette were shown how to place both the garment body and sleeve on a fold of the fabric, to cut the new sleeve style.  Cloche hats were all the rage, and these were available from the G-L catalog, or could be created from LSDS patterns. Drop-waist dresses became popular again.

Cloche hat

In the later teens and throughout the twenties, LSDS published as many as twenty-some patterns for Bleuette per year.  Sadly, the columnist, Jacqueline Rivière, who in 1905 wrote the very first pattern instructions, died in 1920.  Happily, her daughter, Suzanne  Rivière took up writing the instructions in the column featuring the dress-making patterns, Nous Habillions Bleuette (We Dress Bleuette), and continued to do so until sometime in the 1930s.

Incassable Bleuette courtesy of Agnes Sura

            In 1928, the unbreakable head made of pasteboard or pressed, molded cardboard was introduced. This new Bleuette head was nicely painted and had sleep eyes.  At this time the mold 251 size 2 character child was introduced, and could be purchased with a bisque or an unbreakable head.  Although she was sold as Bleuette, she is often found dressed as Bécassine.  She has an open mouth with two teeth and tongue showing, and a dimple in each cheek. Her wig was a short-cut bob style.  The 251/2 dates from 1928 to 1936.