From the house of Henri Alexander in the mid-1880s comes this beguiling French doll (24″) called the Phenix Bebe or Phenix Star, named for the *89 incised on the back of her beautiful bisque head. She has large blue paperweight eyes, an elongated nose, a closed mouth, and meticulous painting of dramatic features. Her brunette human hair wig may be original, and she has pierced ears. Her fully jointed wood and composition body shows some wear at the neckline and joints.

The firm of Henri Alexander later had connections with the Steiner firm, explaining her resemblance to some Steiner Bebe molds and their painting style. She wears a royal blue silk frock with detailed pleating, complemented by an icy blue silk-lined black velvet cape with a fur collar trimmed with black glass beading, and a matching black velvet pointed bonnet. Antique undergarments, socks, and leather shoes complete the ensemble. 

Affectionately called the “long-faced” Jumeau for her apparently somber mood, the Jumeau Triste (“sad” in French) offers an important spot in your Bebe collection. Maybe she is just one of those friends who doesn’t smile a lot, but instead displays a pensive depth in her natural expression.

What a beautiful look she has, with dark brown paperweight eyes, detailed lashes, brows, and shading, an elongated face with a rose pink closed mouth, pale, creamy bisque, and pierced ears. Her antique blond wig is a hand-sewn masterpiece with long, flowing locks called tails, and it is possibly original. The head is incised with the number “13,” and the body is of the typical Triste style, featuring a very chunky torso, jointed arms and legs, but with straight wrists. It is well-marked on the back with “Jumeau Medaille D’Or.” There is a small white rub on her lower left cheek.

What a beautiful look she has, with dark brown paperweight eyes, detailed lashes, brows, and shading, an elongated face with a rose pink closed mouth, pale, creamy bisque, and pierced ears. Her antique blond wig is a hand-sewn masterpiece with long, flowing locks called tails, and it is possibly original. The head is incised with the number “13,” and the body is of the typical Triste style, featuring a very chunky torso, jointed arms and legs, but with straight wrists. It is well-marked on the back with “Jumeau Medaille D’Or.” There is a small white rub on her lower left cheek.

Her antique costume is multi-layered, featuring an underdress of feather-light ecru net over a fine silk lining. Covering that is a deep blue, velvet coat dress with a faint ecru dotted pattern and pearly buttons. Her undergarments are so Jumeau, with a crisp half slip and pantaloons, matched by a camisole, and she wears an antique satin, silk, and lace-trimmed bonnet, also in ecru. Her black leather shoes are antique child shoes.

We love our early Steiner children with their almost primitive look, including spiral enamel, almond-shaped eyes, open mouth with two rows of teeth, palest, almost white bisque, subtle painting of features, and full, extra youthful face. Very interesting is her early head opening, which, instead of starting at the top of the forehead, is a smaller round hole towards the back of the head, sealed with a fine-fitting, round cork. The sheepskin wig in a subdued platinum is not original; however, it does have some age. The body is interesting, as it has the form and construction of a Steiner body, but from a slightly later era, having jointed shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, straight wrists, and slim fingers.

We love our early Steiner children with their almost primitive look, including spiral enamel, almond-shaped eyes, open mouth with two rows of teeth, palest, almost white bisque, subtle painting of features, and full, extra youthful face. Very interesting is her early head opening, which, instead of starting at the top of the forehead, is a smaller round hole towards the back of the head, sealed with a fine-fitting, round cork. The sheepskin wig in a subdued platinum is not original; however, it does have some age. The body is interesting, as it has the form and construction of a Steiner body, but from a slightly later era, having jointed shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, straight wrists, and slim fingers.

The body fit and condition are excellent, and the color is fresh and original. Where Steiner’s call for a certain, unique style of fashion to elaborate on their simplicity and simpatico presence, it is fitting to see this girl in her light, peachy pink silk with dropped waist and ruffle-edged hemline, then having a long matching jacket with double pointed hemline, short puffed sleeves, and whimsical, drawstring front closing. Her ecru fabric bonnet is antique, as are her socks and ivory leather, lace-up high booties.

This French decorative confection box features a bisque Francois Gaultier swivel head with glass eyes, brown mohair wig, and closed mouth. The container separates at its widest part, revealing an empty cavity that originally held sweets. The cardboard cone is covered in original ecru silk faille, adorned with lace layers and streaming silk ribbon. Condition is excellent. 

The innovative Bru Teteur or “nursing Bru” enjoyed a multi-phase ride on the product line that coincided with the prominent Bebe mold eras. The early Bru Teteur had the infant-like Brevete face, the next having the pronounced Circle Dot face, and then this one, having the Bru Jne mold used for the head. With, of course, having the mouth altered to allow for her bottle to be inserted and the nursing mechanism that consisted of a rubber compartment, squeezed by turning a knob handle, that protruded from the back of the head. 

The innovative Bru Teteur or “nursing Bru” enjoyed a multi-phase ride on the product line that coincided with the prominent Bebe mold eras. The early Bru Teteur had the infant-like Brevete face, the next having the pronounced Circle Dot face, and then this one, having the Bru Jne mold used for the head. With, of course, having the mouth altered to allow for her bottle to be inserted and the nursing mechanism that consisted of a rubber compartment, squeezed by turning a knob handle, that protruded from the back of the head. 

Everything else on this 12 ½” Bebe is consistent with Bru Jne form, such as the brilliant blue paperweight eyes, lush lashes and multi-stroke brows, pale, luminescent bisque, richly colored lips, pierced ears, and a bisque shoulder plate for her swivel head. She wears what is probably her original, short blond mohair wig. Her body type is the typical and preferred body of the Bru Jne era, a center seam, slim leather boby with leather over wood upper arms with gracefully posed bisque lower arms and hands. The upper legs are a leather continuation of the torso over a metal armature, connected to wood lower legs with detailed toes. 

Her body retains most of its original Bru Jne chest label, and the condition of the body is very good, plus the left bisque hand is perfect, but the fingers of the right hand have some expertly done restoration. Her muslin cotton frock with blue thread embroidered, buoyant ruffles, and a matching bonnet definitely has age to it and suits her beautifully, along with her antique socks and French leather shoes. Her most exciting accessory is her French-shaped glass baby bottle hanging from her neck, which maximizes her Teteur feature!