From the Doll Cabinet Who was Fernande Broudehoux? By Michael Canadas he night was black, still and damp in Northern France the cold fog rose up from the glistening Tcobblestones 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 foggy conclusion, 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 the morning and heading in the direction of their ambitious dreams. Whether a lace-maker, a real estate developer or even a doll maker risks and high stakes on the road to success are generally the same today as they were in, let s say, 1865. Some make it big, some scrape by with a decent living and unfortunately, some fail and lose everything. Yes, some barely make a mark on their profession in the end, but I always have room in my heart for the optimistic entrepreneur win or lose. I firmly believe there is something to be learned from those with the biggest success story and even those who were considered the poorest students, for all have something to contribute. Fernande stands with all of her worldly possessions. 21
Fernande s pink leather body is to our eyes, in a perfect state of preservation. Perfect for a garden party is her white lawn ensemble with dusty pink ribbon work a simple design but don t you agree very attractive? 22 No, Fernande doesn t by any means own the most accessories in the world. She admits she manages to get by with style. The thrill for some entrepreneurs is the search for buried treasure and for this optimistic doll collector there is nothing that can compare to the idea of finding a small forgotten trunk, languishing in a decaying French château. The stuff of dreams something forgotten for a hundred years or so, put away with yesterday s fashionable clothing and before you know it, two centuries have turned! One has to be optimistic to actually believe that these things can still happen in today s world (the pessimist would say foolhardy) but I am here to tell you they do. Unearthed in Normandy, known for its dense ethereal fog, which can last for days and nights (so there s my tie-in), Mademoiselle Fernande came into my life not so very long ago, via a simple message from an French antiques dealer with whom I am acquainted. In the business of selling antique apparel of the highest quality, my acquaintance had been called into a fine French country home to look at the family s antique clothing, which she happily purchased. During the visit, she was also offered the family doll and as a dealer of antique clothing, she could immediately see the couture quality of the doll s trousseau so she agreed to purchase the doll as well.
From the description I was given via telephone, the combination of the doll s components seemed a bit strange, but being the optimistic doll collector that I am, I decided to take a chance. I bought the doll sight unseen. When I unwrapped and opened the trunk, she and her fine clothing did not disappoint, and appeared untouched by time, as if put away by a child only yesterday. So, the investigation began the only component that looked familiar to me was the doll s china shoulder head with its cobalt blue glass eyes similar, if not the same as those that are typically marked B S for the firm of Blampoix Senior, who supplied porcelain parts for various French doll companies. Removing her traveling clothes, I discovered a French leather body in a lovely shade of soft pink, an aspect one usually associates with papier-mâché dolls from the early days of the Jumeau firm. Interestingly, her white china legs with their molded boots and flat soles are something that most of us would associate with a German doll, as are the long china arms with cupped hands. German? Or are they one hundred percent French? It is a possibility the French porcelain firms imitated the German style or vice-versa, but what is certain to me, is that they are original, as I believe the doll has not been tampered with. But, the real puzzle to me is the elegant oval paper label on her upper body, written upon in ink with a beautiful hand Fernande Broudehoux. Is this the name of the doll, the doll maker, or the fortunate child who owned the doll? There appears to be no known doll company with that name listed in any of the groundbreaking work by François Theimer. The paper oval itself looks similar to those used for labeling fine linens something easily purchased in 1865 for use in the home, or for commerce. We all know the era of Napoleon III was a time of great opportunity for the start-up doll maker and suppler of all things dolls, from dresses, wigs, hats, shoes and trunks to an endless array of accessories. Remember, Paris directories of the day listed over two hundred workshops and boutiques, which provided the world with articles de Paris. When one examines Fernande s trunk and the clothing it has safeguarded for decades, it clearly bears all of the professional details and spontaneity, which one can find only in the real thing. The choice of fabrics and trims utilized in the fine trousseau are, to me, most like components that I would associate with the Rohmer firm, but yet slightly different. Fernande Broudehoux if a person, might simply have been a doll couturier with behind the scenes experience in the doll dressing business, and then with optimistic confidence, 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, features both hand and machine sewing. Details include tiny stitches and a three-button closure in the back and amazingly, this garment still has sizing in it after one hundred and forty years. Simple, but quite lovely. Classic is the word for her 1860s black jacket with pagoda sleeves (and fabulous full cotton sleeve-lets peeking out of them). It is worn over a moss green full skirt with coordinating black velvet trim, creating a most elegant silhouette. 23
the city streets of Paris for hundreds of years, thus being under the radar of the doll making establishments. Because the trousseau is so stylish, my instinct tells me it is most likely a Parisian product the fact that Normandy was the doll s home for years has no bearing on her origins in my mind. Fernande s wig, which has never been removed, is of natural blond human hair and retains its original set of tiny delicate curls the style popular for little girls in the 1860s. For me, the real charm of this doll is her petite thirteen-inch stature. Her small leather trunk, Here, Fernande models a remarkable wool robe in beige and blue wool with a matching crocheted cap, plus a muff for the chilly Normandy evenings. In this image, Fernande wears an unusual skirt of cotton and coral silk velvet (in addition to a lovely cotton blouse). Actually, I believe it is a piece made by a child. Fernande like to wears it when exercising with her skipping rope. 24 Note, even the handles of her skipping rope coordinate with the coral pieces shown here (a very popular color at the time, and thought to lend protective qualities) suggesting thoughtful consideration was given to the selection of each charming accessory. Although we aren t used to seeing them worn by the dolls today, most early French fashion trousseaux originally contained christening gowns and other baby attire, such as capes and tightfitting caps. This example features workmanship that required untold hours of handwork.
with a charm all its own, could have been handled easily by a very small girl. It is obvious that care was taken with each one of Fernande s costumes and accessories. Even though Fernande was found in a fine French country home, so we surmise her original owner was from a wealthy family, she was most likely the child s only doll, as was the custom in much of the nineteenth-century. As Mademoiselle Fernande finds her way back to the doll cabinet, which coincidentally happens to be an eighteenth-century, French oak, buffet a deux corps from of all places, her region in Normandy, she whispers to me what a lovely place this is to pass the time. I am an optimist, and a very curious one, but I do believe some things in collecting will and shall remain a mystery, as is the case for this very lovely survivor Fernande Broudehoux. Fernande s iridescent green silk party dress with dramatic pagoda sleeves is lightly decorated with lace and black velvet trim. It bears both hand and machine stitches, plus, some of the finest topstitching one will find in doll clothing. We were relieved to find a hoop skirt among the under things in Fernande s trunk, as it provides the proper full look to her skirts and dresses. A cozy rabbit fur cape warms up the party dress. 25