Boudoir/flapper Dolls - The doll of choice by movie stars and naughty girls

[ferula98]

I am not sure who of you are familiar with flapper dolls, also called Boudoir dolls, they originally started from around 1910, and kicked off off in the 1920's jazz age era when flappers made the youthful 'bright young thing' asthetic popular. Starting as dolls to grace the beds of grown ladies they developed into must have fashion accessory that flappers would take out with them on the town. Beautifully made up with full on flapper make up and often dressed in matching outfits to them selves, boudoir dolls mimic the era from which they were created.

Movie stars of the period were often inspiration for the companies making the dolls, and various brands started using boudoir dolls as promos and prizes. Representing the flapper youth and reflecting there fashions and rebellions these dolls were portreyed smoking cigarettes, as french apache dancers, androgynous caracters, gypsies and bullies (sometimes painted with a black eye). Cropping up in a fair few 1920's movies (including 'Waterloo Bridge' 1931, 'The Redheaded Woman', 1933, 'Babyface', 1933 and 'Stage Door', 1937) the storyline's suggest that is only naughtly girls that own flapper dolls.

You can find a few on ebay for a pretty penny, i would love one but i dont think i cant justify the expense at the moment. A gorgeous example sold recently dressed in an art deco suit with a cigarette hanging jauntilly from her mouth. I have a little write up and a few more pictures on my blog. www.flairinaladysboudoir.blogspot.com

What do you think of them? Have you discovered any anywhere?

 

[Tenuki]

This is the first I've heard of flapper dolls, but since my partner sent me the link to this thread, it must be fine with him if I expand my doll obsession beyond bjds and Gene Marshalls into historical dollies. I'm off to ebay to see just what these beauties are going for... thanks for sharing!

 

[Mojito]

I adore boudoir dolls! I'm particularly fond of the various silk faces and Anita smokers...I have three myself (and am constantly battling the urge to buy more), and have bought others for friends.

Here's Zelda posing on my bed:

She lives in an Art Deco cabinet in my bedroom with mini-bottles of gin and absinthe.

Here's Lucien - he's a German composition dressed as a Parisian Apache:

With my silk face (a Poupee Gerbs?) Zoe Dee at a function in Napier:

 

[scotrace]

I'd never heard of these, or seen one. Fascinating! I have a flapper friend who will like these a LOT.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

There are two of these in an Antique shop near me, but no matter how many times I ask the lady says they're not for sale just for 'set dressing' I adore them, one is blond with shingled hair and wearing a slip and peignoir! So cool.
Never knew their origin!
K

 

[dandelion-vint]

I love boudoir dolls and I have a few. I bought one in a local antique mall and the other 3 on ebay.
They have body flaws, 3 were bald, there are a few feet and hands missing. But the faces are very good. All of their clothing was either gone or tattered so I made all of their clothing with vintage fabrics and replaced the hair on the 3 baldies.

This gal has real hair

I also have some half dolls from the same era as the boudoir gals.

The photos are showing up in preview, but not here in the post. You can see them on my blog - http://dvintage.blogspot.com/2006/03/vintage-pretty-ladies.html