Gre-Poir Type II Cloth Doll
Starting in 1927, Eugenia Poir made cloth dolls under the name of Gre-Poir. Not much is known about the company, but it
appears to have been a partnership with one partner, Alvin Grey, in New York City, and another, Eugenie Poir (who designed
the dolls) in France. By 1930 Eugenia joined the established French Doll Makers, a firm in New York. She stopped producing
dolls in the early 1930s.
She made dolls of pressed felt (dolls type I) or dolls of pressed fabric (dolls type II). The felt faced dolls had felt arms and legs
with cotton bodies. One distinguishing characteristic of Gre-Poir dolls is the bulging area at lower front and back of the torso,
with a horizontal seam above. Features were painted, with side glancing eyes. The blue grey shadow over the eye was a
distinguishing feature. Grey or brown eye line appears above the white of the eye. These dolls usually had real eyelashes on
top, painted lashes on the bottom and dotted eyebrows. The mouths were heart shaped. There were no ears. The felt dolls
were 19 inches tall.
In contrast to the felt dolls, the all cotton dolls, with their painted side glancing eyes, had painted eyelashes top and bottom with
single stroke brows. All other features were the same. The cloth dolls were smaller, 17 adn 18 inches in height.
The cotton bodies of both dolls were seamed in the center front and back. The dolls were jointed and the neck and disc joints
were found at the shoulders and hips. The hands were mitten type with fingers indicated by stitching. Sometimes toes were
indicated as well. Arms and legs, like the bodies, were seamed down the front and back. The dolls were stuffed with excelsior.
Wigs were blonde or red mohair and were styled as the popular bob, waves or long curls.
Clothing styles were contemporary with organdy and felt trimmed dresses. white organdy teddies and half slips. White socks
(sometimes with three matching color strips around the top) and Mary Jane shoes were original footwear. Some dolls were
dressed as boys. The dolls were tagged with cardboard hang tags
Judd, Polly. Cloth Dolls, 1920s and 1930s.
Coleman, Dorothy S., Elizabeth A. and Evelyn J. The Collector's Encyclopedia of Dolls, Volume II.New York:Crown Pub. 1986.
appears to have been a partnership with one partner, Alvin Grey, in New York City, and another, Eugenie Poir (who designed
the dolls) in France. By 1930 Eugenia joined the established French Doll Makers, a firm in New York. She stopped producing
dolls in the early 1930s.
She made dolls of pressed felt (dolls type I) or dolls of pressed fabric (dolls type II). The felt faced dolls had felt arms and legs
with cotton bodies. One distinguishing characteristic of Gre-Poir dolls is the bulging area at lower front and back of the torso,
with a horizontal seam above. Features were painted, with side glancing eyes. The blue grey shadow over the eye was a
distinguishing feature. Grey or brown eye line appears above the white of the eye. These dolls usually had real eyelashes on
top, painted lashes on the bottom and dotted eyebrows. The mouths were heart shaped. There were no ears. The felt dolls
were 19 inches tall.
In contrast to the felt dolls, the all cotton dolls, with their painted side glancing eyes, had painted eyelashes top and bottom with
single stroke brows. All other features were the same. The cloth dolls were smaller, 17 adn 18 inches in height.
The cotton bodies of both dolls were seamed in the center front and back. The dolls were jointed and the neck and disc joints
were found at the shoulders and hips. The hands were mitten type with fingers indicated by stitching. Sometimes toes were
indicated as well. Arms and legs, like the bodies, were seamed down the front and back. The dolls were stuffed with excelsior.
Wigs were blonde or red mohair and were styled as the popular bob, waves or long curls.
Clothing styles were contemporary with organdy and felt trimmed dresses. white organdy teddies and half slips. White socks
(sometimes with three matching color strips around the top) and Mary Jane shoes were original footwear. Some dolls were
dressed as boys. The dolls were tagged with cardboard hang tags
Judd, Polly. Cloth Dolls, 1920s and 1930s.
Coleman, Dorothy S., Elizabeth A. and Evelyn J. The Collector's Encyclopedia of Dolls, Volume II.New York:Crown Pub. 1986.
