Boulogne-sur-Mer on the northern coast of France was a popular tourist destination in the 19th century for both French and English tourists, who flocked there in the summer to enjoy its beautiful beaches and charming countryside. One of its charms were the hardworking fisherfolk in their traditional costumes. Male visitors no doubt especially appreciated the scenery because the fisherwomen were not shy about wading into the surf with skirts tucked up to expose well-toned bare legs! And what better way to remember your seaside sojourn than to bring back a pair of dolls in the famed folk attire? This all-original pair has beautiful bisque shoulder heads attributed to Francois Gauthier, but they have the crude bodies typically found on these souvenir dolls, with terra cotta molded lower limbs and a wire armature body wrapped in cloth. There costumes are nicely detailed, from the man's waterproof hat to the fishing net held by his female companion. While he has molded sturdy boots, her lower legs and feet are bare. Her traditional lace bonnet is known as "le soliel." These fisherfolk can be found with a wide variety of heads, from terra cotta to bisque and china produced both by French and German makers.
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