Doll:French Fashion Doll

A significant manufacturer of French fashion dolls, the Rohmer firm operated in Paris from 1857 to 1880. The company's founder, Marie Rohmer, worked to improve the articulation (movement in the joints) in doll bodies made of kid leather. The firm made several innovations in their doll bodies and filed a number of patents in Marie Rohmer's name. Some Rohmer dolls with kid bodies have eyelet holes in the front of the torso that, when laced, cause the doll to sit. Collectors recognize some Rohmer dolls, like this one, by their glazed porcelain heads and shoulderplates, an alternative to the bisque used on many French dolls of the late 19th century.