She has an open mouth with tiny teeth, pale bisque with soft tint, and her original mohair skin wig, still retaining the pink ribbon and side bows that frame her forehead.  The flange-type bisque head is mounted on the wire armature, heavy cardboard/ paper mache and leather covered body that encases the ingenious mechanism that brings her to life. Her arms and lower legs are of rose tinted composition and you can see hints of the typical purple coloring of the inner body.  When the gold-toned key on her left hip is wound briskly, and the lever is released, her head pivots from side to side, her arms move up and down, and her legs subtly kick, while she clearly cries “Mama” AND “Papa”!   Thus she adopted the name of the crying, kicking Steiner.   

The Jumeau portrait bebe went through a brisk evolution of looks in a very short period of time, being the first half of the 1880's. This fresh-faced girl (16")  is from the second series of about 1883 and you can see the refinement that took place with her very symmetrical and balanced features. She has ocean blue paperweight eyes, a closed mouth in pale rose, and smooth, even pale bisque with gentle shading and decoration. Her mohair wig is a very nice replacement, her ears are pierced and she has her cork pate, but not the Jumeau "screwgle" type attachment.

The chunky, marked Jumeau eight-ball body is jointed at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, and has straight wrists. It looks like the arms and legs have an old repaint that has developed its own patina. She wears and antique, pale grey-blue frock of silk with lace trim that is gathered all around the lowered waist. Her undergarments are antique as is her flower-adorned, woven straw hat.

 Even the original antique wig that is part of the costume is made of strong, black human hair that is loosely styled, allowing the long locks to fall from the shoulders. She is also shown with an antique, blond mohair wig that she keeps to the side in case she needs it for a future extra outfit. She has warm brown paperweight eyes, lush lashes and finely stroked brows on a molded brow bone, creamy bisque with appealingly shaded cheeks and a closed mouth, in a delicate rose hue with fine outlining of the lips. She has pierced ears with the right earring hole having a chip. As Chevrot bodies go, hers is outstanding in condition and cleanliness of her leather torso, leather over wood upper arms, leather over metal armature upper legs and wood lower legs and carved feet.

The presentation of this size 11 Tete Jumeau is quite mesmerizing, due to her soft, beautiful face blending in with a gently hued, antique outfit that looks like a factory ensemble. She has paperwight eyes that look like two pools of blue water, a closed, subtly tinted and outlined mouth, irredescent, pale bisque and just a hint of shading, softly painted lashes and brows, pierced ears and an antique, long blond mohair wig that has some sparse areas on the crown. Her fully jointed (including the wrists), French composition and wood body has some wear at joints and on hands, but the finish is original and on her lower back is the faint Jumeau mark.  

Still mounted in their original, glass top presentation box is this delightful pair of 7” dolls, a girl and boy, dressed in fancy shepherds costumes of the eighteenth century. The dolls have bisque heads, hands and lower legs, glass eyes and closed mouths, with bodies of firmly stuffed cloth and of course their clothing is original right up to their satin-covered staffs and opulent chapeaux. 

On the pasture with them are four paper mache and wood, fleece covered toy sheep. Still secured in this original display, they have never been played with, therefore in mint condition!

Recently purchased in Paris, she is contained in her original store box with a large label on the lid that reads “Louvre” which was a thriving department store in her day and is still open on Rue de Rivoli. Quite an unusual piece in remarkable original condition! $950.