Furga Dolls 1872-1970s Italy

Luigi Furga a nobleman from Canneto, Mantua province in Italy, began his doll factory in 1872 and is still in business today.  The first Furga dolls were made with wax mask heads on a papier mache body, a little later dolls were also made on cloth bodies.  Next Furga imported bisque heads from Germany to be put on their Italian dolls.  About WW I Furga built their own porcelain factory for making bisque heads and all bisque dolls called Mignonettes. Furga also made doll heads of pastello a type of composition.

By 1929 Furga bisque heads rivaled those of Germany.  The early Furga dolls were not exported to the American market, they were exported to some South American countries and England.  By the 1960s-1970s Furga plastic and vinyl dolls were available and sold in American department stores or catalogs of Montgomery Ward, JC Penney, Sears and others.  Furga dolls made of all materials are of good quality. related; Italian Doll Makers & Marks

Furga Dolls Identified

ca. 1917 Furga all bisque doll head 7″

1890s+ Furga antique bisque Dolly Face dolls, 10-24″ tall, bisque socket heads (some possibly German), wigged, sleep eyes, open mouth with teeth, jointed composition body, doll mark Furga Canneto S. Oglio plus a size number, clothing also possibly tagged.

1912+ Furga All Bisque dolls, small size, wigged, glass eyes, painted brows and eyelashes, jointed at neck and hips, painted white socks with a blue stripe at top, black painted shoes, usually doll mark Furga Canneto S. Oglio plus a size number.  Doll head shown is 7″ tall.

1958 Furga Little Red Riding Hood walking doll, 17″

1958 Furga Red Riding Hood doll or Cappuccetto Rosso doll, 17″ tall, early walker doll with a most unusual non-mechanical walking mechanism with four legs all attached at the top of the thigh to form an X, that literally walks when pushed forward. The composition shoulder swivel head, upper chest and jointed bent arms are attached to a a separate cage torso which replaces the dolls lower body with four composition legs/feet attached inside the cage that rotate and “walk”, doll is unmarked.

1964 Furga Tonia doll 15″

1964 Furga Tonia, 15″ tall, vinyl head with rooted hair and lashes, sleep eyes, open mouth with teeth, jointed hard plastic body, came dressed in a beautiful red velvet full length coat with marabou white feather trim, marabou purse, gold tone necklace, doll mark L Furga Made in Italy, tagged clothing.

1965-1967 Furga Alta Moda (4) dolls of Simona, Susanna, Sheila, Sylvie, 17″ tall

1965-1967 Furga Alta Moda Dolls, 17″ tall, all vinyl  doll, big large stationary eyes with feathery long real eyelashes, long rooted hair, each dressed in a sleeveless shift with a gold tone S pin on collar and white slip on sandal shoes, doll marked Furga 17 and on body doll mark Alta Moda Furga.

Furga Alta Moda Simona has blonde hair a beauty mark below her left eye and wears a orange dress, Alta Moda Susanna has brunette hair wears a red dress, Alta Moda Sheila is a redhead with a blue dress and Alta Moda Sylvie has platinum hair and wears a lavender dress (seated front).  Additional outfits were sold separately.

1967 Furga Elisabetta doll 15″

1967+ Furga Elisabetta doll, “looks like a princess” 15″ tall, all vinyl, rooted platinum long hair, sleep eyes, real eyelashes, open mouth, with two teeth, came dressed in pale blue velvet long full coat over a ruffled white petticoat, blue velvet bonnet with fur trim, stockings, shoes and a gold tone waist chain and parasol, doll mark Furga, Made in Italy.

1960s+ Furga Adrianna doll 15″

1960s+ Furga Little Adrianna or Adrianna doll, 13″ tall, all vinyl, rooted hair, real eyelashes, another beautifully dressed doll with great detail on the dress, petticoat, has a hat, parasol, probably stockings & shoes.  She has wide sleep eyes in blue, rooted hair & lashes, and those cute two front teeth showing between her open mouth, doll mark FURGA on neck, doll clothes tagged L FURGA, Made in Italy.

1970+ Furga Tina and Tilly dolls 7″, six dolls in casual clothes

1970+ Furga Tina & Tilly dolls, 7″ tall, all soft vinyl all dolls have rooted hair in different colors, sleep eyes, closed mouth, doll marked FURGA.  Shown is a 1970 Sears ad, Furga Tina or Tilly dolls $2.99. The Tina and Tilly dolls are the same doll, dressed differently.

8. Tina doll with blonde hair wearing sporty red pants and black and white print blouse. 9. Tina doll with brunette hair, wearing a snappy red coat and hat. 10. Tilly doll with brunette hair wearing a perky dress in white with red. 11. Tina with blonde hair in swing’in navy or black pants and read and white checked (blouse) topper. 12. Tilly with orange hair in yellow pants and pale yellow sweater. 13. Tilly doll with blonde hair, in a mod red and white checked jumpsuit. All dolls have white plastic strap shoes.

1973 Furga Mia doll 19″

1973 Furga Mia doll, 19″ tall, this doll is a little more casually dressed than others and still incredible, with beautiful cupid bow lips, wide blue eyes and a glorious mane of platinum long hair tied up in bows, doll mark FURGA ITALY.

1974 Furga dolls Wards catalog page, six dolls; Noelle, Elisabetta, Melanie, Colette, Vanessa.

1974 Furga dolls from Wards catalog; “Beautiful Dolls from around the world. Lovely dolls, outstanding for their exquisite beauty and fine craftsmanship. Delicate features, luxuriant hair, molded bodies, elaborate outfits . . .”

1. Noelle doll 12″ blonde in red. 2. Elisabetta doll about 14″ platinum hair, looks like a princess in blue velvet. 3. Melanie doll about 17″ blonde in red and white check. 4. Colette doll 17 3/4″ light brunette in white blouse and full denim skirt 5. Vanessa doll about 18″ brunette in orange velvet gown.

Furga Dolls Not Shown

1950s+ Furga Baby dolls, 7-16″ tall or Furga Child type dolls, 11-19″ tall, all vinyl, or vinyl head and limbs with a cloth body, jointed body, rooted hair, closed mouth and usually marked Furga Italy.

1950 Furga Chichi wind up mechanical Baby doll, 13″ tall, bisque painted head with lightly molded painted hair, sleep eyes with real long upper eyelashes, closed painted mouth, body torso made of cloth with wind up mechanism with key in back with string attached to move legs and head moves, jointed at neck shoulders and hips, composition like full arms and bent partial lower legs, doll mark Italy on the inside of one leg and arm, came dressed with bonnet and dress tagged Made in Italy.

1960s+ Furga Lady doll or Fashion type high heel dolls, 16-25″ tall, all hard plastic or combination HP and vinyl, wigged or rooted hair, sleep eyes, open or closed mouth, doll usually marked Furga Italy and clothing is also tagged Furga Italy.