French Cloth Dolls-Raynal
World War I destroyed lives, societies and industries. The porcelain doll was difficult and expensive to make during the lean
times of the war. During this time, Polish painter Stefania Lazarska led the movement in the Montparnesse Polish Community
to create cloth artist dolls, not as playthings, but as portraits--that is a representation of the aesthetic of the time which hopefully
would sell much better than other dolls in the war years.
During this same time, Marthe Gold Raynal began production of cloth dolls as play things for children. She began making dolls
that were caricatures such as Beccassine and dolls used as door prized in French nightclubs of the time. Edouard Raynal
registered his trademark in the US in 1928. Business acumen was strong with the Raynals, and, during the 20s, they created
dolls of felt dressed in elaborate clothing and often holding toys, as well as less expensive cloth dolls with felt clothing. The
dolls had single stroke brows, side glancing eyes and white highlights with painted upper lashes. The lower lip had pwinted
white highlight dots. The faces were coated in a cellulose coating so they would not soil so easily. Hands were cloth mitten
style or rhodoid. Hair was mohair strips sewn to the head. The dolls ranged from 4-20 inches. The bodies were machine sewn
of cloth with joints at the neck, shoulders and hips. The joints could be disc or flaps. The seam at the back of the head was
hand stitched. The dolls are unmarked but had carried a hexagonal metal pendant with the company name. The bottom of the
doll's shoe was sometimes impressed Raynal Paris.
By 1931 the doll line was filled with peasants and ethnic dolls dressed in elaborate costumes. Soon followed the royal dolls
including Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI and Marianne, the symbol of the French Revolution and symbolic Queen of France. In
1932, Raynal debuted Ondine, the classic molded face. Marthe created wardrobes for this doll. 1934 saw the first baby doll
produced by Raynal. The baby was cloth with rhodoid hands. Note that this baby precedes the introduction in 1935 of the
Shirley Temple baby doll and therefore is not an imitation of that doll. World War II, beginning in Europe in 1939, repeated the
devastation of World War I on lives, societies and industries. War time rations ended the cloth doll production. After the war,
Ryanal reopened his business but made rhodoid and plastic dolls.
The artistic doll movement in France that created so many beautiful cloth dolls was short lived. While the cloth doll was the
answer to its predecessor, the expensive and fragile porcelain doll, it was quickly replaced in the late 1930s with the
advancement in technology that produced celluloid and composition dolls.
Pennegues, Dominique. Raynal Artistic Cloth Dolls from Peasants to Royalties. Antique Doll Collector. July 2007. pp 48-55
Pennegues, Dominique. Raynal Cloth Dolls. Doll News. September 2007. pp8-17.
times of the war. During this time, Polish painter Stefania Lazarska led the movement in the Montparnesse Polish Community
to create cloth artist dolls, not as playthings, but as portraits--that is a representation of the aesthetic of the time which hopefully
would sell much better than other dolls in the war years.
During this same time, Marthe Gold Raynal began production of cloth dolls as play things for children. She began making dolls
that were caricatures such as Beccassine and dolls used as door prized in French nightclubs of the time. Edouard Raynal
registered his trademark in the US in 1928. Business acumen was strong with the Raynals, and, during the 20s, they created
dolls of felt dressed in elaborate clothing and often holding toys, as well as less expensive cloth dolls with felt clothing. The
dolls had single stroke brows, side glancing eyes and white highlights with painted upper lashes. The lower lip had pwinted
white highlight dots. The faces were coated in a cellulose coating so they would not soil so easily. Hands were cloth mitten
style or rhodoid. Hair was mohair strips sewn to the head. The dolls ranged from 4-20 inches. The bodies were machine sewn
of cloth with joints at the neck, shoulders and hips. The joints could be disc or flaps. The seam at the back of the head was
hand stitched. The dolls are unmarked but had carried a hexagonal metal pendant with the company name. The bottom of the
doll's shoe was sometimes impressed Raynal Paris.
By 1931 the doll line was filled with peasants and ethnic dolls dressed in elaborate costumes. Soon followed the royal dolls
including Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI and Marianne, the symbol of the French Revolution and symbolic Queen of France. In
1932, Raynal debuted Ondine, the classic molded face. Marthe created wardrobes for this doll. 1934 saw the first baby doll
produced by Raynal. The baby was cloth with rhodoid hands. Note that this baby precedes the introduction in 1935 of the
Shirley Temple baby doll and therefore is not an imitation of that doll. World War II, beginning in Europe in 1939, repeated the
devastation of World War I on lives, societies and industries. War time rations ended the cloth doll production. After the war,
Ryanal reopened his business but made rhodoid and plastic dolls.
The artistic doll movement in France that created so many beautiful cloth dolls was short lived. While the cloth doll was the
answer to its predecessor, the expensive and fragile porcelain doll, it was quickly replaced in the late 1930s with the
advancement in technology that produced celluloid and composition dolls.
Pennegues, Dominique. Raynal Artistic Cloth Dolls from Peasants to Royalties. Antique Doll Collector. July 2007. pp 48-55
Pennegues, Dominique. Raynal Cloth Dolls. Doll News. September 2007. pp8-17.
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