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

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 in incised “13” and the body is the typcical Triste style with the very chunky torso, jointed arms and legs, but with straight wrists and it is well marked in the back “Jumeau Medaille D'Or.”   There is a small white rub on her lower left cheek. 

Her antique costume is multi-layered with an under dress of feather-light ecru net over a fine silk lining and covering that up is a deepest blue, velvet coat dress with a faint ecru dotted pattern and pearly buttons. Her undergarments are so Jumeau with the crisp half slip and pantaloons, with matching 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 slightly later era, having jointed shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, straight wrists and slim fingers.

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. 

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 perfect, but the fingers of the right had having 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, that maximizes her Teteur feature!

Looking like a close relative of  the other French bebe on the site by R.D., this lovely brown-eyed 21" girl by Etienne Denamur has the same cozy aura with her very similar features and coloring.  Her warmly-hued, paperweight eyes have the dark, lush lashes and feathered brown brows, full, peach-toned lips and a closed mouth, and pristine pale bisque with the hint of even, overall shading on the cheeks.