Boudoir Dolls 1915-1930's

Boudoir Dolls, Bed Dolls, Flapper Dolls or Sofa Dolls as they are referred too, were used to decorate "beds & sofas", which is where they got their name.  These dolls were not meant to be played with, but to be displayed or as decoration, which today we have replaced with a mountain of pillows.    

Made from about 1915 to the 1930's, these dolls usually have cloth bodies with elongated legs, heads can be of various materials; composition, mask faced, often with painted facial features, some have partial composition limbs which will help with dating.  Clothing can be very elaborate and of high quality material, (it's the clothing that matters the most on these dolls - if the clothing is missing they lose about half of their value) and many have high heel feet. 

There is of course so much variety among boudoir dolls, as they were produced in several countries, over quite a number of years, notably; England, France, Germany, Italy and the USA. 

Boudoir dolls are usually unmarked - so finding its origins can be "mission impossible" except by an expert, thus dolls are usually just identified by type a "Boudoir Doll". We particularly get a kick out of the politically incorrect (today) Cubeb cigarette "smoking" dolls, as shown above right, made by the Mutual Novelty Corp.

Some doll makers of boudoir dolls; 

Adler, Ernst Alart, Alma Doll Co., American Stuffed Novelty, American Wholesale Corp., Anita, Arrow Doll Wig Co., Austin Gray, Baltimore Bargain House, Beaux Art Shade Co., William P. Beers & Co., Bloom, Blossom, Blum Lustig, Bon Marche department stores, Butler Brothers, Calvare, Chad Valley Co., Hilda Cowham, Eisen, W. R.  Ekart, England Art Toy, Etta, European Novelty, Flapper Novelty, Fleishman, Gerling, Gerzon Co., Charles F. Gibson, Goldberger (Eegee), Heho Art Dolls, Hollywood Imps, Kat-a-Korner Kompany, Victor Keney (Keeneye), Konroe Merchants, Lady Godwyn, Lenci, Levallois, H. Josef Leven, Mizpah Toy & Novelty, Claire Morris of LA, Munich Art Dolls, Mutual Novelty, Paramount Doll Co., Erma Petzgold, Pierrot and Pierette, Erma Pinner, Paul Poiret, Pollyanna Doll Co., Pompeian Art Works, Sanlys, Sterling Doll Co., T. A. F., Unique Novelty Doll Co., Nora Wellings, Ethel Westwood, and probably others.   

Boudoir Dolls 1915-1930's

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