Fleur Dolls - B

catalogue # 385 - 1035, year 1984 (1985?)

body: ballerina (bending elbows and ankles)

hair: blonde, red, brunette, bangs (fringe), short and curled at the back, no parting

shoes: white kitten heels with small flower

This Fleur is very easy to identify - she's the only Fleur doll with this hairstyle.

The baby is hilarious - was obviously born complete with classic 1980s hair. The baby is wrapped in a simple pink terrycloth square, tied with a pink ribbon. 

Baby Nurse Fleur doll is well accessorised - stethoscope, thermometer and syringe all present and well made with realistic details.

You can see Baby Nurse Fleur in action at work in the bottom left photo, which is taken from the Hospital box (to appear on the future furniture pages). 

catalogue # 385 - 1015, year 1982

body: ballerina (bending elbows and ankles)

hair: blonde, red, brunette, center part

shoes: white or blue ballet (pointe) shoes

This beautiful - and very popular - doll was sold in a white or blue outfit. It looks like she had 2 different boxes - one with a front flap (top middle), and one without (bottom left, the photo is not mine but found online).

Her dress has a satin layer at bottom, topped with 4 layers of tulle, with embroidery on the top layer. She also wears net tights and white or blue ballet (pointe) shoes. The white shoes are still very easy to find today, the blue ones are more rare. On her head - a matching white or blue band.

catalogue # 385 - 1080, year 1980

body: 1970s body with long legs, tiny waist and small hands

hair: blonde (only seen in promo photo), centre part

shoes: unknown - maybe none?

HUGE BIG FLEUR NEWS! AMAZING DISCOVERY!

For years, we thought Beach Fleur was actually outfit 1209. Even in the catalogue (see bottom right photo) the price is just 9.95 guilders - pretty low for a whole doll. But thanks to Angela at vintage_fleur_doll and her amazing luck, we now know - THIS is actually a Fleur DOLL! The proof: the front of her box says 'all parts movable', and the back shows a catalogue # 385-1080. All Fleur doll numbers start with 10, and all Fleur outfit numbers start with 12.

Why such a low price? This was clearly a budget doll, sold not in a box but a blister pack - plastic front glued onto a cardboard back (as you see below). It's possible she had no shoes - it's one way of keeping the price down. Her red one-shoulder swimsuit, yellow terrycloth bathrobe and matching towel are still easy to find today. The glasses are distinctive, with easily recognisable dark red lenses.

One question remains - so if this is a doll, what is outfit 1209? We don't know... yet. Stay tuned for more discoveries.

catalogue # 385 - 1017, year 1986

body: non-ballerina (no bending elbows or ankles), legs move to front, back and side

hair: blonde or red, centre part, Fleur logo on back of head

shoes: blue flip flops

Beach-Time Fleur doll is the cover girl of the 1986 booklet (included with most dolls from that year). She wears either a blue or pink swimsuit, and flip-flops in a special shade of blue (in the picture, I compared her unopened shoes - top pair - with another typical pair, so you can see the difference). Her accessories are pale-pink sunglasses and a white terrycloth towel. She also comes with an EXTRA FOR YOU! It's blue sunglasses - but they are too small for a little girl. They would fit a baby... or a teddy bear, maybe a bigger doll.

catalogue # 385 - 1020, year 1978

body: 1970s body with long legs, tiny waist and small hands

hair: blonde, strawberry blonde, brunette, centre part

shoes: brown flat shoes with bow

Look under F in my doll list, and you'll find the very First Fleur, from 1978. Now, meet the second Fleur - Belle. She's wearing a beautiful high-neck dress of brown velvet and white lace, plus a matching hat. Is it a historical costume? Maybe.

Fun fact: many people call her Autumn Fleur, probably because of her dress colour. There is a Fleur called Lente (Spring) dressed in a very similar outfit, but white and yellow. If you put them side by side, they definitely look like two seasons.