21

“The night was black, still and damp in Northern France – the cold fog rose up from the glisteningcobblestones in great billowing clouds…” I have longed to begin a doll story with those unlikely

words, and this short tale might be the perfect one, as it begins and will end, unfortunately with a foggyconclusion, although believe me, I am all ears if you could help shed some light on our mystery doll.

I think optimism may be fuel in the blend of energy that gets entrepreneurs out of bed in themorning and heading in the direction of their ambitious dreams. Whether a lace-maker, a realestate developer or even a doll maker – risks and high stakes on the road to success aregenerally the same today as they were in, let’s say, 1865. Some make it big, some scrape bywith a decent living and unfortunately, some fail and lose everything. Yes, some barely make amark on their profession in the end, but I always have room in my heart for the optimisticentrepreneur – win or lose. I firmly believe there is something to be learned from those with thebiggest success story and even those who were considered the poorest students, for all havesomething to contribute.

By Michael Canadas

Fernandestands withall of herworldlypossessions.

From the Doll Cabinet

Who was Fernande Broudehoux?

From the Doll Cabinet

Who was Fernande Broudehoux?

22

The thrill for some entrepreneurs is the search forburied “treasure” and for this optimistic dollcollector there is nothing that can compare to theidea of finding a small forgotten trunk, languishingin a decaying French château. The stuff of dreams –something forgotten for a hundred years or so, putaway with yesterday’s fashionable clothing andbefore you know it, two centuries have turned!One has to be optimistic to actually believe thatthese things can still happen in today’s world – (thepessimist would say foolhardy) – but I am here totell you – they do.

Unearthed in Normandy, known for its denseethereal fog, which can last for days and nights (sothere’s my tie-in), Mademoiselle Fernande cameinto my life not so very long ago, via a simplemessage from an French antiques dealer withwhom I am acquainted. In the business of sellingantique apparel of the highest quality, myacquaintance had been called into a fine Frenchcountry home to look at the family’s antiqueclothing, which she happily purchased. During thevisit, she was also offered the family doll and as adealer of antique clothing, she could immediatelysee the couture quality of the doll’s trousseau – soshe agreed to purchase the doll as well.

Fernande’spink leatherbody is toour eyes, in a perfectstate ofpreservation.

No, Fernande doesn’t by any means own the most accessories inthe world. She admits she manages to get by – with style.

Perfect for a garden party is her white lawn ensemblewith dusty pink ribbon work – a simple design butdon’t you agree very attractive?

23

From the description I was given viatelephone, the combination of the doll’scomponents seemed a bit strange, but being theoptimistic doll collector that I am, I decided totake a chance. I bought the doll sight unseen.When I unwrapped and opened the trunk, sheand her fine clothing did not disappoint, andappeared untouched by time, as if put away by achild only yesterday.

So, the investigation began – the onlycomponent that looked familiar to me was thedoll’s china shoulder head with its cobalt blueglass eyes – similar, if not the same as those thatare typically marked B S for the firm of BlampoixSenior, who supplied porcelain parts for variousFrench doll companies. Removing her travelingclothes, I discovered a French leather body in alovely shade of soft pink, an aspect one usuallyassociates with papier-mâché dolls from the earlydays of the Jumeau firm. Interestingly, her whitechina legs with their molded boots and flat solesare something that most of us would associatewith a German doll, as are the long china armswith cupped hands. German? Or are they onehundred percent French? It is a possibility theFrench porcelain firms imitated the German styleor vice-versa, but what is certain to me, is thatthey are original, as I believe the doll has notbeen tampered with. But, the real puzzle to me isthe elegant oval paper label on her upper body,written upon in ink with a beautiful handFernande Broudehoux. Is this the name of the doll,the doll maker, or the fortunate child who ownedthe doll? There appears to be no known dollcompany with that name listed in any of thegroundbreaking work by François Theimer. Thepaper oval itself looks similar to those used forlabeling fine linens – something easily purchasedin 1865 for use in the home, or for commerce.

We all know the era of Napoleon III was a timeof great opportunity for the start-up doll makerand suppler of all things dolls, from dresses,wigs, hats, shoes and trunks to an endless arrayof accessories. Remember, Paris directories of theday listed over two hundred workshops andboutiques, which provided the world witharticles de Paris.

When one examines Fernande’s trunk and theclothing it has safeguarded for decades, it clearlybears all of the professional details and spontaneity,which one can find only in “the real thing”.

The choice of fabrics and trims utilized in thefine trousseau are, to me, most like componentsthat I would associate with the Rohmer firm, butyet slightly different. Fernande Broudehoux if aperson, might simply have been a doll couturierwith behind the scenes experience in the dolldressing business, and then with optimisticconfidence, ventured out on her own. Perhaps,she sold her wares at faires that have been held in

This classic play dress, in a green and white cotton mini-print, featuresboth hand and machine sewing. Details include tiny stitches and athree-button closure in the back – and amazingly, this garment still hassizing in it after one hundred and forty years. Simple, but quite lovely.

Classic is the word for her 1860s black jacket with pagoda sleeves (andfabulous full cotton sleeve-lets peeking out of them). It is worn over amoss green full skirt with coordinating black velvet trim, creating amost elegant silhouette.

the city streets of Paris for hundreds of years,thus being under the radar of the doll makingestablishments. Because the trousseau is sostylish, my instinct tells me it is most likely aParisian product – the fact that Normandy wasthe doll’s home for years has no bearing on herorigins in my mind.

Fernande’s wig, which has never beenremoved, is of natural blond human

hair and retains its original set oftiny delicate curls – the stylepopular for little girls in the 1860s.

For me, the real charm of this dollis her petite thirteen-inch stature.

Her small leather trunk,

24

Note, even the handles of her skipping rope coordinate with the coralpieces shown here (a very popular color at the time, and thought tolend protective qualities) – suggesting thoughtful consideration wasgiven to the selection of each charming accessory.

In this image, Fernande wears an unusualskirt of cotton and coral silk velvet (in addition to a lovely cotton blouse).Actually, I believe it is a piece made by achild. Fernande like to wears it whenexercising with her skipping rope.

Here, Fernande models aremarkable wool robe inbeige and blue wool witha matching crocheted cap,plus a muff for the chillyNormandy evenings.

Although we aren’t used to seeing them worn bythe dolls today, most early French fashiontrousseaux originally contained christening gownsand other “baby attire”, such as capes and tight-fitting caps. This example features workmanshipthat required untold hours of handwork.

25

with a charm all its own, could have beenhandled easily by a very small girl. It isobvious that care was taken with each one ofFernande’s costumes and accessories.

Even though Fernande was found in a fineFrench country home, so we surmise heroriginal owner was from a wealthy family, shewas most likely the child’s only doll, as was thecustom in much of the nineteenth-century.

As Mademoiselle Fernande finds her wayback to the doll cabinet, which coincidentallyhappens to be an eighteenth-century, Frenchoak, buffet a deux corps from of all places, herregion in Normandy, she whispers to me whata lovely place this is to pass the time.

I am an optimist, and a very curious one, butI do believe some things in collecting will andshall remain a mystery, as is the case for thisvery lovely survivor – Fernande Broudehoux.

Fernande’s iridescent green silk party dress withdramatic pagoda sleeves is lightly decoratedwith lace and black velvet trim. It bears bothhand and machinestitches, plus,some of thefinesttopstitching onewill find in dollclothing.

We were relieved to find a hoop skirt among theunder things in Fernande’s trunk, as it provides theproper full look to her skirts and dresses.

A cozy rabbit fur cape warms up the party dress.