Rudolph Valentino

I love this compilation of film clips of Rudolph Valentino. The end is my favorite clip.

The FBI TV Series "The Doll Courier"

Here is another photo of Viveca Lindfors with a standard boudoir doll, this time with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., from the 1960/70s TV series "The FBI."

The FBI TV Series "The Doll Courier"

Viveca Lindfors played in the 1960/70s TV series, "The FBI" episode "The Doll Courier." Here, she poses with a rewigged/redressed standard boudoir doll.

Woman in the Window - 1944

"Woman in the Window" 1944 - starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, and Raymond Massey. This is a wonderful film. I definitely do not want to give any of it away, but rent this movie for sure!

Smile

I definitely smiled when this tagged Munecas Pages Madrid doll arrived today! What a great face! Her felt outfit is faded, however, inside her hat is brick red. Because her shoes look to be about the same color, I'm wondering if her hat should be folded to expose the inside color. What do you think?

After owning several dolls made by this Spanish company, I am convinced that these dolls rival Lenci. They are detailed, well made and have real-looking faces. Love it!

Half Dolls

The half doll on the right is marked "Biskeloid." The doll on the left looks to be made of bisque. Both dolls are German.

Hanging Out With Her Boudoir Dolls

This faded photo is of a dancer (according to the information I have). I do not have her name though. Pictured with her are left to right, a composition/cloth "Anita" type boudoir doll, a cloth doll (I can't make out the face), and an all cloth boudoir doll.

Composition head, cloth body "Anita"-type

All Cloth American Stuffed Novelty or Unique Novelty Doll

Unknown Cloth Doll

"Ball of Fire" 1941

"Ball of Fire" - 1941, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. This scene features Barbara Stanwyck singing "Drum Boogie" with Gene Krupa and His Orchestra.

Nazimova

This French smoker boudoir doll is believed to be Nazimova. She appears in the Stephanie Farago book, "The Magic & Romance of Art Dolls." She is all cloth except for her hands. The book states her hands are celluloid, but they look to be composition. In the book, too, she is missing her cigarette [must have been a non-smoking building ;)]. So, I replaced her lost cigarette.

This doll can also be seen in an article I wrote in 2009 for Doll Collector Magazine.

Scene from "Camille" - 1921 - Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino!

Leatrice Joy and Her Boudoir Dolls

Here is another photo I just got of Leatrice Joy, promoting her film "The Dressmaker from Paris" 1925.

Leatrice Joy and Her Boudoir Dolls

I thought I had blogged this photo of Leatrice Joy, starring in "The Dressmaker from Paris" - 1925, but I apparently did not. So, here it is!

Aren't these cool boudoir dolls? I wonder if these dolls have survived?

Having not seen the movie, I wonder if these dolls appear in the film?

Boudoir Dolls in Film - "The Goldfish" - 1924

Constance Talmadge and ZaSu Pitts star in this 1924 film "The Goldfish." Also "starring" in this film are a half doll and a Lenci Fadette boudoir doll.

Here is another photo I have from the same film.

Lenci Fadette

Boudoir Dolls in Film - "Goodbye, My Fancy" - 1951

A Keeneye, also known as a standard boudoir doll, appears in the 1951 film "Goodbye, My Fancy," starring Joan Crawford.

Here is a YouTube trailer of the film:

French "Sparkle" Boudoir Doll

Although, a previous owner caused damage, when attempting to clean this doll, Sue's French boudoir doll still "sparkles." Sue thinks someone used water on her. DO NOT USE WATER to clean these dolls!

I refer to these French dolls as "Sparkle" because their molded hair and shoes have glitter on them. See my previous posts on these dolls:

Previous Blog Posts

These particular French dolls are composition or other type plaster except for the lower body and upper legs. The arms are strung.

Notice how cleaning this doll caused damage to the top layer and the face paint.

The shoes look like the standard type French dolls, however, you can see remnants of the layer of sparkle that used to cover the shoe.

The Talmadge Sisters and Their "Men"

The back of this photo reads, "Left to Right: Constance and Norma Talmadge who were presented with Daddy dolls when they sailed for a short European trip on the SS Majestic - August 26, 1922."

And, as luck would have it, I also found this photo, showing Betty Mack as the presenter of those dolls.

Boudoir Dolls in Film - "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" - 1926

Notice the boudoir dolls in these two film clips from the 1926 silent "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em," starring Evelyn Brent, Louise Brooks, Lawrence Gray and Jack Egan.

Lenci Smoker - Mimi? Coco Chanel?

I have not seen a Lenci catalog to know if this doll was called Mimi or Coco Chanel or if she was cataloged as something else, but I have seen this doll referred to as both names. Her outfit was reproduced. Love the color!

Mineralava Dolls!

Never did I ever imagine that I would be able to own these dolls! I wonder how many of these dolls still exist?

These boudoir dolls were created by the sculptor, Helene Sardeau, in 1923, for the Valentinos. Rudolph Valentino and his wife, Natacha Rambova, toured the United States, dancing the Tango, for the cosmetic company, Mineralava. Mineralava held a beauty contest, and these dolls were given to the winners. I do not know if the winners were given both the dolls and a silver cup trophy or if they changed from the dolls to the trophy, however, these dolls were made in limited quantity. I believe only 80 pairs were made.

The Rudolph Valentino doll is missing his hat. His waist scarf is tagged "Sardeau's Dolls, Reg US Pat. Office." The Natacha Rambova doll is missing her shawl. The heads are heavier than I expected. From the old newspaper photo, I had thought their hands were also made of plaster, but they're cloth.

This is the cover of the Mineralava booklet

Another Alma

Here is another Alma. She has a waist that turns for posing.