Pictorial history of famous French doll (with 60 photos) plus 32 pages in full color of 19th-century dolls in original fashions.

Created by the celebrated Jumeau factory, France and Marianne were presented to the Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret in 1938 along with a collection of clothes and accessories. Faith Eaton tells the story of these two extraordinary dolls.

"Feminists have argued that the Barbie doll perpetuates unrealistic standards of feminine beauty and undermines the credibility of women. Yet, for every mother who disapproves of Barbie, there is a young daughter who adores her. Barbie has enjoyed a prosperous and important history in Western culture, but she is simply the most high-profile of a series of iconic dolls produced in the past 150 years. For the first time, this history is explored to reveal how intimately connected dolls have been to fashion and culture, from their early history right up to the present day. The prominence of haute couture in popular culture suggests that the link between fashion marketing and dolls should be an obvious one. Yet to date this connection has not been adequately interrogated. Peers' original and shrewd analysis fills a major gap in cultural studies by examining the doll's associations with concepts of femininity and fashionability."--Publisher.

"Dolls are not a luxury. They are as necessary to a child's life as a loaf of bread . . . What a doll does for a little girl is develop her capacity to love others and herself." -Madame Alexander A wonderful offering for young doll enthusiasts and women's history buffs alike This fascinating book tells the stories of courageous dollmakers, all of whom were-and continue to be-filled with passion, vision, and determination. They are the unsung heroines behind some of the most important dolls of the last hundred years-such as Barbie (Ruth Handler) and Madame Alexander's collection (Beatrice Alexander). Entrepreneurs and feminists of their time, these strong women displayed both creative genius and astute business acumen, serving as excellent role models for today's young female readers.

This book is a collection of short stories based upon true events that will take the reader on a journey into the strange and wondrous world of the antique doll. It is not, however, about dolls, but rather the drama, intrigue and mystery that takes place as a result of particular dolls entering the lives of the various characters in each story.