Friday, December 4, 2015

*REVIEW* French Dolls from Paris

French Dolls - what beautiful and simple dolls

I could not resist bringing back some French made dolls when I went to Paris.  I had been wanting to see the "Classic" Petitcollin dolls which has the factory just outside of Paris, but unfortunately my time was limited and I was not able to go to it, but I did find two Toy stores in Paris, so off I went in search of the dolls.

Here are the four French made dolls that are now in the USA. 


This is MARIE-FRANÇOISE she is the classic doll, just like they made them in the 1940s, all plastic but with a beautiful vinyl coloring. She comes in many different style clothes and also naked (no clothes) which is a less expensive doll and you get to dress her, your way. The blonde doll came dressed as pictured except I had the store owner change her shoes to white instead of black. The Redhead I got naked and dressed her in this outfit from TRU.  They are 16" dolls. 


Close up of face, they have rooted hair and is of the best quality like the Gotz dolls from Germany.


Here she is without her coat. The outfits are top quality and very expensive.


They come with their nails and toes painted.


The dressed dolls do come with panties and I am just amazed at the vinyl quality of these dolls.


Here is a close up of the Redhead with brown eyes. I immediately fell in love with this doll, no matter what other doll the store owner showed me, I kept coming back to this one.  The store owner was so kind and nice, she allowed me to pick out clothes and shoes and gave me discount.  When the dolls come fully dressed they are less expensive then the naked ones because the outfits, shoes, and panties are so expensive when sold individually.  If you sew and make clothes for the dolls the naked doll is the way to go. I could have easily purchase several of these dolls, they are so beautiful.


At the Paris Toys R US store they have an entire section just for Corolle dolls which are also made in France. This one is Corolle 8 inch Mademoiselle - Mini Corolline Redhead Doll. They are expensive even in Paris, France but they are readily available.  They had her with blonde hair, but the redhead was on sale and she said "take me home". Notice how the Marie-Francoise dolls sit.


Here is a close up of mini Corolline, her hair is tight back, it is rooted and high quality as well.


This year the Petitcollin factory also started making the Sylvia Natterer dolls. In the second toy store I found this beautiful redhead named Natalie.  The store owner had just received a shipment and she opened the box for me and there she was the only one they had ordered. She had to come home with me.

Enjoy!
Diana

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful dolls, Diana! What is the approximate price range? Madelon

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  2. Sorry to disappoint you but Corolle is owned by Mattel so the dolls are designed in France but produced in China. Petitcollin dolls are beautifull, the new 18" Finouche doll are lovely dressed and hand painted

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  3. Madelon The Petitcolin were around $90-$110 the Corolle $25, Sylvia Natterer around $110 for the small ones.

    Daniela the mini Corolle box said France. I did not keep any boxes to minimize travel weight, but regardless these doll's designers are French and very beautiful dolls. Diana

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