VERY RARE Antique French Black Doll SFBJ PARIS 301 • 12 - 3/8 " Tall • VVHTF
Item History & Price
Here's a great opportunity to own an ultra-rare, incredibly hard-to-find, antique French Black doll in SFBJ's "301" head mould. Measuring 12-3/8" tall, this sweet child doll is decked out in her Sunday best.
I purchased this elusive antique doll from a reputable seller on Ruby Lane a number of years ago. Her head at rear bottom is properly incised "SFBJ / PARIS / 301" (I'm using the virgule [the "/"] to indicate the sequence of the authenticating markings.)
Dolly has ...a lovely expression, gazing at you with brown glass eyes that are stationary. Her closed mouth is formed by the cutest lips painted light pink. And, yes, the painting isn't perfect. The artists working with the SFBJ dollmakers hand-painted these dolls. I have an asymmetrical face -- not perfect.
Her head is brown fired bisque. She has no pate. (I'll leave the tissue paper inside her head for the winning bidder. As an experienced collector of antique dolls, I will pack this doll carefully and securely for her journey.) Her five-piece body is compo (as in composition). Her body is not papier-mache. Her head can be turned for action poses. She has straight wrists and dainty painted-on black shoes.
Kindly read the "Condition" section above and examine my photographs to judge for yourself. And please note, as described under "Condition, " my dolly cannot remain in standing condition *while* supported by the doll stand. Her stringing is no longer tight enough for her to do that. Thus, I use her doll stand to support her in the seated position. If the winning bidder has a doll stand that can adjust for more height (with good width like that of the doll stand you see pictured -- that doll stand *is* included in the auction), then perhaps she could remain in standing position longer. By no means is this antique doll fragile, as if she were to crumble. Rather, all antique dolls need to be handled gently. My doll can be re-dressed without the need for concern that an extremity will fall off, that her head will break. It's all in the handling of an antique doll.
And, while dolly does not have articulated wrists, knees and ankles, her head can be turned left and right with the proper amount of effort. In other words: her head--neck connection is not loose; her head-neck connection is not tight. Her head-neck connection is juuuuust right. :-)
Part of the rarity of ma petite poupee ancienne is that, beginning in the late 19th century, the SFBJ doll consortium did not produce a great number of brown-complexioned / Black dolls in the "301" mould. La Societe Francaise de Bebes et Jouets (SFBJ) consisted of -- among prominent French and German dollmakers -- the legendary Jumeau firm. Late Jumeau dolls were those made during the time that Jumeau joined the SFBJ, and the doll in this auction was one of les poupees created from the "301" head mould. So, as the seller on Ruby Lane described -- and as I had learned during my formative years of doll collecting -- the Black "301" is known as "a friend of Bluette." My dolly is also about the size as the antique Bluette doll. Bluette's popularity was so great among young French girls because, yes, she was pretty, but mainly because there were numerous outfits for her and that the children could sew for her.
Another aspect of the cabinet-sized cutie of this auction which renders her rare is that she has a closed mouth. That's right. While there are somewhat abundant OM -- open-mouthed -- Black dolls (among them, late Jumeau) that were created by the SFBJ from the late 19th century through the 1950s, those with bisque heads and compo bodies, and those made by papier-mache, are approaching rarity with each passing decade.
However, antique CM -- closed-mouthed -- Black dolls by SFBJ already are rare. I own two other CMs in this category, but they're taller and they are not of the "301" mould. My antique doll in this auction is my only Black SFBJ / late Jumeau "301." I acquired an antique Tete Jumeau last year who must be placed inside my doll cabinet. That doll is 16" tall and is wearing a frou frou outfit, leaving little space to display about three dolls in a manner respecting each of their "personal space."
When friends ask how I can part with a doll, I reply that it's difficult in general and it's painstaking to decide which ones to bid adieu. I have quite a few antique and vintage dolls -- early-vintage Barbie dolls predominate the vintage category in my collection -- with so much sentimental value that I know they will be with me until the day I take my final breath.
* * * *
This auction includes: the rare antique Black French "301" doll (known as Bluette's friend); her clothing; her vintage straw bonnet adorned with plastic flowers (bonnet purchased separately on Ruby Lane); her adjustable two-piece metal doll stand in white; and a precious gold-plated chatelaine featuring a bird-shaped pin and a pair of spectacles hanging from a gold-tone chain.
The special tiny chatelaine was made contemporarily of antique parts by a gifted artist who creates jewelry for dolls.
Please note that I openly welcome global bidders. Also, I participate in eBay's Global Shipping Program (GSP).
Thank you for stopping by my auction. Have a pleasant day, and have fun bidding!!!
On Jul-09-19 at 16:54:23 PDT, seller added the following information:Hi, everyone. EBay only allows 12 photos, but I have additional photos of my doll. The photos show that each of her jointing shows that her stringing of rope or thick string is by either an old hook or an old bent nail.
Also, her left inner thigh (the upper area) is incised vertically: a capital letter "D" underline and then "0." I say "underline" because there's a short horizontal line under the D -- or, if you will, vertically between the "D" and the "0."
Now, that "0" might not be a zero but the letter "O." That's another aspect of this antique "301"'s authentication. Further, on both of her inner arms (the upper area of both inner arms) is capital "E."
I purchased this elusive antique doll from a reputable seller on Ruby Lane a number of years ago. Her head at rear bottom is properly incised "SFBJ / PARIS / 301" (I'm using the virgule [the "/"] to indicate the sequence of the authenticating markings.)
Dolly has ...a lovely expression, gazing at you with brown glass eyes that are stationary. Her closed mouth is formed by the cutest lips painted light pink. And, yes, the painting isn't perfect. The artists working with the SFBJ dollmakers hand-painted these dolls. I have an asymmetrical face -- not perfect.
Her head is brown fired bisque. She has no pate. (I'll leave the tissue paper inside her head for the winning bidder. As an experienced collector of antique dolls, I will pack this doll carefully and securely for her journey.) Her five-piece body is compo (as in composition). Her body is not papier-mache. Her head can be turned for action poses. She has straight wrists and dainty painted-on black shoes.
Kindly read the "Condition" section above and examine my photographs to judge for yourself. And please note, as described under "Condition, " my dolly cannot remain in standing condition *while* supported by the doll stand. Her stringing is no longer tight enough for her to do that. Thus, I use her doll stand to support her in the seated position. If the winning bidder has a doll stand that can adjust for more height (with good width like that of the doll stand you see pictured -- that doll stand *is* included in the auction), then perhaps she could remain in standing position longer. By no means is this antique doll fragile, as if she were to crumble. Rather, all antique dolls need to be handled gently. My doll can be re-dressed without the need for concern that an extremity will fall off, that her head will break. It's all in the handling of an antique doll.
And, while dolly does not have articulated wrists, knees and ankles, her head can be turned left and right with the proper amount of effort. In other words: her head--neck connection is not loose; her head-neck connection is not tight. Her head-neck connection is juuuuust right. :-)
Part of the rarity of ma petite poupee ancienne is that, beginning in the late 19th century, the SFBJ doll consortium did not produce a great number of brown-complexioned / Black dolls in the "301" mould. La Societe Francaise de Bebes et Jouets (SFBJ) consisted of -- among prominent French and German dollmakers -- the legendary Jumeau firm. Late Jumeau dolls were those made during the time that Jumeau joined the SFBJ, and the doll in this auction was one of les poupees created from the "301" head mould. So, as the seller on Ruby Lane described -- and as I had learned during my formative years of doll collecting -- the Black "301" is known as "a friend of Bluette." My dolly is also about the size as the antique Bluette doll. Bluette's popularity was so great among young French girls because, yes, she was pretty, but mainly because there were numerous outfits for her and that the children could sew for her.
Another aspect of the cabinet-sized cutie of this auction which renders her rare is that she has a closed mouth. That's right. While there are somewhat abundant OM -- open-mouthed -- Black dolls (among them, late Jumeau) that were created by the SFBJ from the late 19th century through the 1950s, those with bisque heads and compo bodies, and those made by papier-mache, are approaching rarity with each passing decade.
However, antique CM -- closed-mouthed -- Black dolls by SFBJ already are rare. I own two other CMs in this category, but they're taller and they are not of the "301" mould. My antique doll in this auction is my only Black SFBJ / late Jumeau "301." I acquired an antique Tete Jumeau last year who must be placed inside my doll cabinet. That doll is 16" tall and is wearing a frou frou outfit, leaving little space to display about three dolls in a manner respecting each of their "personal space."
When friends ask how I can part with a doll, I reply that it's difficult in general and it's painstaking to decide which ones to bid adieu. I have quite a few antique and vintage dolls -- early-vintage Barbie dolls predominate the vintage category in my collection -- with so much sentimental value that I know they will be with me until the day I take my final breath.
* * * *
This auction includes: the rare antique Black French "301" doll (known as Bluette's friend); her clothing; her vintage straw bonnet adorned with plastic flowers (bonnet purchased separately on Ruby Lane); her adjustable two-piece metal doll stand in white; and a precious gold-plated chatelaine featuring a bird-shaped pin and a pair of spectacles hanging from a gold-tone chain.
The special tiny chatelaine was made contemporarily of antique parts by a gifted artist who creates jewelry for dolls.
Please note that I openly welcome global bidders. Also, I participate in eBay's Global Shipping Program (GSP).
Thank you for stopping by my auction. Have a pleasant day, and have fun bidding!!!
On Jul-09-19 at 16:54:23 PDT, seller added the following information:Hi, everyone. EBay only allows 12 photos, but I have additional photos of my doll. The photos show that each of her jointing shows that her stringing of rope or thick string is by either an old hook or an old bent nail.
Also, her left inner thigh (the upper area) is incised vertically: a capital letter "D" underline and then "0." I say "underline" because there's a short horizontal line under the D -- or, if you will, vertically between the "D" and the "0."
Now, that "0" might not be a zero but the letter "O." That's another aspect of this antique "301"'s authentication. Further, on both of her inner arms (the upper area of both inner arms) is capital "E."
