Before newspapers and mechanical means of printing, the French used their large dolls to advertise the latest fashions. The doll was used to popularize French fashion abroad. From the 14th century, elaborately outfitted dolls were sent from France to all the courts of Europe, so that royal ladies could have the latest fashions copied right down to the last detail, including the underwear. The clothes would be an exact copy of what the most fashionable ladies would be wearing including the hair. These fashion dolls were considered so important that even wars could not stop them from being dispatched and special passes were given to ships carrying them. These dolls were mainly life size although a few were half life size.
Francois Gaultier
fashion doll, size 0
The pale bisque head with fixed blue glass eyes, closed mouth, pierced ears with pink glass earrings, cork pate and long blonde wig with plait and cream ribbon, swivel head and on a kid leather body, wearing original red gown with pink trim, underclothes, socks, heeled leather boots and her straw bonnet with a large white feather, together with a later red bonnet, 31cm (12in) tall. Sold for £812 at Bonhams
No.1 Barbie
with brunette ponytail, curly bangs, white iris, pointed eyebrown, feet with holes fitted with metal cylinders, black and white striped swim, hooped earrings, sungasses and shoes, 1959 (faded to white, some marks to legs and slight chipping to nail varnish) Sold for GBP 2,880 at Christies
When Henry IV of France was about to marry Marie de Medici as his second wife, he sent her several model dolls “as samples of our fashions”, presumably to impress her with the desirability of life at the French court.
The great age of the Fashion doll was the eighteenth century, when European travel became freer, and numerous small continental courts sprang up and flourished, with consequent demands upon the wardrobes of their great ladies. It became the fashion for ladies to own a pair of dolls, one dressed en grand toilette, and the other en déshabille Pandore respectively, and were the subject of every extravagant whim of stylish dressing: hats, dresses, shoes, elaborate hair-styles and a great deal of miniature beads and jewellery.
A French Bisque and Wood Fashion Doll
Late 19th Century
Together with various costumes. Approximately 27 pieces.
height 17 1/4 in.
43.8 cm. Sold for 3,000 USD at Sothebys
These Pandoras were sent out by French fashion houses to England, Germany, Spain and Italy in order to exhibit the details of their dress, and sometimes for the details of their coiffure alone.
As their importance grew, the Pandoras came to be known as “poupées de la Rue de Saint-Hororé, or even les grands courriers de la mode.
In 1790, the English invented a new type of Fashion doll, whose popularity lasted throughout the 19th century. It was the flat card or stiffened paper doll figure, onto which could be attached a series of different dresses. Originally they were made about eight inches high and sold for about three shillings, which made them far more economical than the elaborate life-size figures.
Wooden and carved doll in an 18th century costume including a cap, necklace, robe, two petticoats, two engagements, two mittens, stomacher, chemise, corset, under-petticoat, pocket, pincushion, pair of stockings, pair of shoes, fob watch, etui and its wooden box.
This is most likely to be a fashion doll, or a pandora. Pandoras were used from the 14th century to convey the latest fashion among the courts of Europe. By the 18th century this practice had become more common, and these three-dimensional fashion plates were sent all over Europe and America to a much wider clientele by dress makers to promote their wares. By the end of the 18th century the pandoras had given way in importance to fashion magazines. The figures were not designed as toys, but, after they had served their original purpose they may been given to children to play with.
This wooden figure is dressed in a silk sack back robe with matching petticoat and stomacher. She wears all the accessories and underpinnings of a fashionable lady of the late 1750s. The original headed pins suggest that the garments have remained in position since the 18th century and the figure may never have been played with.
Victoria and Albert Museum
The later French doll, now known as a “French fashion doll”, had nothing to do with publicising of French fashions abroad but was just a beautiful, luxury doll, although sometimes it may have been used for display in shop windows.
Between 1955 and 1964, a German company called Bild-Zeitung produced a fashion doll based on a cartoon character, called Lilli. The doll was named the Bild Lilli Doll. It was this doll which inspired an American business woman, Ruth Handler, to create the Barbie doll for Mattel, Inc. It was when Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli doll in 1964, that Lilli stopped being produced.
RARE “BILD LILLI” HARD PLASTIC FASHION DOLL. 7 ½”. All-hard plastic with swivel head, jointed shoulders and hips, blonde hair in upswept ponytail with black tie, painted features, dark eyes with heavy eyeliner and molded lashes, eyeshadow, arched brows, closed mouth, painted black earrings and high heel shoes, original red and white cotton top and slacks, comes with her very rare original stand with Bild-Lilli Doll paper cover, plus Austrian Bild Lilli black poodle, repoduction Bild Newpapers and copy of outfit #1178 dress and purse, plus hand knit cardigan sweater and white lace shawl. Commentary: Rare German fashion doll, circa 1955, which preceded Barbie; all-original, very good condition with brilliant original complexion tones. Sold For: $450 at
Frasher’s Doll Auction
Sindy Doll & Accessories N.I.P. Sold For: $100 at Martin Auction Co.
In 1963, a rival to Barbie sprung up in the UK. She was called Sindy and was the product of Pedigree Dolls & Toys. Between 1968 to 1970, Sindy was the best selling toy in the UK which was partly due to her “girl next door” look. However, when attempts were made to introduce her to the American market, she was changed to look more American and it was hard to compete with the already successful Barbie. Sindy was relaunched in the UK in 1999.
ca 1963-65 “Tressy” doll – mint in box (cellophane broken) – Manuf by American Doll and Toy Corp. NY – 11 1/2″ tall. Sold For: $60 at Stanton Auctions
Mid 20th century. A large album of cut and uncut newspaper dolls including the following: Blondie Boots, Toots and Casper, Tillie the Toiler, Flash Gorden, Brenda Starr, Dale Arden, Janet Gaynor, Bunty and Flyin’ Jennie. This lot also includes uncut pages of the “World Traveler Dollies.” Sold For $225 at Dan Morphy Auctions
In 1964 the first Palitoy product to be promoted on TV was “Tressy”, the twelve inch teenage fashion doll. She came with a special key which when pushed into her back, enabled her hair to grow or withdraw at will. Her retail price was 30 shillings. Tressy came in various hair colourings including dark brown, platinum blonde and beige with “secret strands of matching hair to lengthen or shorten, to provide different hairstyles”. The doll was sli and attractive with head and arms of hard vinyl, dressed in a sleeveless shift dress of cotton jersey in lemon or turquoise. Tressy soon acquired a young sister called “Toots” with the same growing hair mechanism. She came only with beige hair and wore a pretty white ballet outfit.
In 2001, MGA Entertainment created the Bratz fashion dolls. They have become a rival for Barbie.
