Leon Casimir Bru founded the doll manufacturing company collectors know as Bru Jeune or Bru Jne.
First Period : Bru Jeune et Cie 1867-1883
1867 Announcement
An announcement in the newspaper Le Droit issue of February 11, 1867 read, “2723 – Of an act under private signatures dated, in Paris, on January 11, one thousand and sixty-seven, energistre, It appears: That it was formed, for ten years, from the first of February one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, under the company name: BRU Jeune et Ce, A Company between: Mr. Leon-Casimir BRU Jeune, commercial employee in Paris, rue Haxo, number 74; And a sponsor named in the said act, For the manufacture and wholesale of dolls, in premises located in Paris, rue Saint-Denis, number 374. The sponsorship is ten thousand francs. L. -C. BRU.” And yes, the artice spelt it “BRU jeune et Ce” (not Cie).
Bru Jeune in 1870 and 1871
Listing in the 1870 French Almanac of Commerce gave the address as “Bru jeune et Cie, fabr. de poupees, St-Denis, 374.” The same appeared in 1871.
The 1870 listing in l’Annuaire du Commerce (translated) read, “Bru jeune et Cie., brev. s.g. d. g., large factory of fixed undressed and dressed dolls, old models, high novelty, doll heads of all kinds, specialty of new dolls, entirely new and exclusive kinds in hardened rubber, gutta-percha and carved wood, articulated all over, as well as the waist, feet and hands, which gives the doll a special grace; soft rubber dolls, double-sided dolls, extra-thin skin (leather) doll with articulated arms and hands (THESE VARIOUS PATENTED OR REGISTERED MODELS), trousseaux of rich dolls, commission, export, 374, rue St. Denis.”
1876 Bru Jeune Skull Trademark
In 1876 the French Almanac of Commerce displayed a skull trademark with a listing that matched: “”BRU JEUNE ET CIE, patent. s g. d. g. r. St-Denis, 226. inventor and manufacturer of rubber animals for tobacco pouches and surprises such as rats, lizards, fish, bats, toads, etc., e.g. weapons , skulls, Venus devils, etc. etc. These articles, admirably made as a model, carving, molding and decoration, cannot be compared. All our models are registered, others are also patented. To avoid any confusion, require our trademark representing a skull, our last subject to date. France, export, 226, St-Denis.” The image of the skull had the words “Marque de Fabrique” above it and “Deposee” below it.
One can view the skull trademark document at the French site INPI.FR in the archived marks for toys (jouets) in a data set ranging from 1857 to 1920. It is image #50 in a set of about 520 images (as of August 2024). This may change if they add more. The link above goes to the set, then type in 50 in the page box at the bottom to skip to it.
The year of the mark is unclear. In handwriting someone wrote clearly 187… but the following number is really just part of Bru’s signature going up making it look like the number 1 so maybe 1871. (Have a look and be the judge.)
In the same edition under the section for Poupees or Dolls, the Bru Jeune listing describes more in detail the products they manufactured. “Grade manufactures undressed and dressed dolls of all kinds. Carved wooden dolls, simple joints, and articulated everywhere, of the latest perfection. Dolls entirely in rubber, undressed and dressed. Skin dolls, of new shape, with arms and articulated wooden hands. Dressed dolls, Parisian costumes, high novelty models and costumes with great effect for export. Dolls with rich trousseaus. Biscuit doll heads, articulated. Rubber subjects (See Rubber manufacture). All these various patented models or deposited. France, export.”
If you would like to see other French doll trademarks, click here.
1879 BRU jeune Listing in the French Almanac of Commerce
The French almanac of commerce in 1879 gave a listing for Bru jeune that read:
BRU jeune, patented s. g. d. g. 1 and 3 boul. de Strasbourg and boul. St-Denis, 14. – Exhibitor for the first time in 1878. Silver medal. Very large factory of dolls and babies, naked and dressed, in all kinds. Specialty in new, unbreakable, perfected babies and dolls. Babies (patented s. g. d. g.) fully articulated, in hardened rubber, guaranteed absolutely unbreakable. Dolls and babies (models) carved wood, complete joints. Dolls and babies, straight and articulated entirely in rubber. Dressed dolls and babies, Parisian costumes, high novelty models. Dolls and babies, dressed to great effect for export. Dolls and babies with rich trousseaux or layettes. Talking mechanical dolls and babies. Articulated heads of dolls and babies in biscuit and gum. Various articles in pure gum and rubber (see Rubber Manufacturers). All these various patented or registered models. France, export, boul. de Strasbourg, 1 and 3, and boul. St-Denis, 14 .
1879 Annuaire-almanach du commerce. p. 1430.
Bru Jeune Patents
In 1879 the Bru Jeune company registered three patents for a kind of rubber (128698), skin babies (129657), and sucking babies or “Bébés Téteurs” (132998). The Bebes Teteurs’ patent appeared later on the 21 of February 1882 for a fifteen year certificate (patent 132,998 ) for Bottle-feeding babies. (Bebes a biberon dits bebes teteurs.)
View at the dolls by Bru Jeune et Cie held at the Barry Art Museum in Virginia:
Second Period : Henri Chevrot 1883-1890
On August 17, 1883, the company registered the trademark #49212 depicting a medallion on a chain with an actual photo of a Bebe Brevete in black and white inside the medallion.
Bru advertised in 1884 with a listing that read: “BRU jeune, breveté, s. g. d. g., 1 et 3 BOUL DE STRASBOURG, Paris 1878, and Melbourne 1880, large factory of the new BÉBÉ BRU Jne, the most beautiful, the most flexible, the most solid, the best articulated and the richest of all Parisian manufacture. Sleeping babies, suckers, eaters, music babies, etc., and new products constantly being produced.”
Le Pays in 1885 declared Henri Chevrot Bebe Bru as no longer manufacturing but ART ! The same year Figaro described Chevrot as the successor of Les Bebes Bru.
Chevrot exhibited alongside Jumeau, Gaultier, and Rabery at the Universal Exposition at Antwerp in 1885.
1886 Revue Illustree June-December Issue
In 1886 the magazine Revue Illustree gave a review of the Bebe-Bru dolls in an article entitled “Le Travail National A L’Exposition Du Palais De L’Industrie.” The French article describes Bru dolls known so well as Bebe-teteur and Bebe-Dormeur while describing the model of Bebe-Bru with solid wood arms and legs. The following is an English translation:
“The first quality of a toy in the eyes of children is the liveliness of its colors and its indestructibility. What could be more cheerful to the eyes than the Bebe-Bru, coquettishly adorned with his always fashionable clothes, including the little My five-year-old will be as proud as she is of her new costume!
As for solidity, we know of hardly any toy that resists as victoriously as the Bebe-Bru the torn apart dolls that the most affectionate little girls subject their dolls to. The legs and arms are made of wood. They are solidly built children! Also, what a saving for fathers, grandfathers and uncles!
Exterior elegance, guaranteed solidity, these are not the only qualities of Bebes-Bru. Very ingeniously their inventor made them with the main abilities that can rejoice the heart of a mother: that is to say sleeping or waking up at will and preparing their food. From there, the Baby-Nurse is bred and special to the Bru house, as well as his brother the Baby-Sleeper. The baby-sucker, drinking alone, with his little bottle and the baby-sleeper with movable eyelids are the happiest inventions that have been made to give little girls the answer in this charming comedy of motherhood which is at the same time tranquility parents and an excellent means of education. We cannot do better than advise our readers to visit the stores of M. Bru, boulevard de Strasbourg, 1.”
Revue illustrée. v.2 JE-D(1886)
Rare 1886 Ad of Bebe Bru Chevrot
An unique hard to find ad appeared in Catalogue Illustree du Salon in 1886 of BEBE-BRU for H. Chevrot. The illustration depicts the loveliness of the Bru Jne doll face so adored by collectors, much better illustrated than the more common ads of the time. The center of the ad displays a sketch of Bebe-Bru in type Bru styled dress, shoes with the round bows at the toes, and a top hat with feather, lace and ribbon. The ad reads, “Bebe-Bru Brevete s.g.d.g. Gold Medal, Paris, 1885 – H. Chevrot, Fabricant Paris, 1 & 3, boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris. To avoid any infringement, require the words BEBE-BRU spelled out on the body of the Bebes and on the boxes. The BEBES-BRU are the newest, the prettiest, the strongest, the best articulated and the richest of all Parisian manufacturing.”
The same year Henri Chevrot won a gold medal a the International Exposition in Liverpool.
1887 Chevrot Ad for Bru Jeune
H. Chevrot has a listing in the L’Avenir du Tonkin of 1887 that reads, “1 and 3, boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris. – Bebe bru negro, silk blouse, mulatto, dolls, etc.; made in Paris.”
1888 BRU Jne, H. Chevrot
The listing for 1888 describes BRU Jne, H. CHEVROT with an address of 1 et 3, boulevard de STRASBOURG and 14, BOUL. ST-Denis. It boasted the Silver medal from Paris in 1878, Melbourne in 1880, Antwerp in 1885, a gold medal in PARIS in 1885, and Liverpool in 1886 while mentioning claim to 25 invention patents and a great factory of Dressed and Undressed Dolls.
They claimed the Bebes Bru, with new patented joints were the newest, the prettiest, the most solid, the best articulated and the richest of all Parisian manufacturing at the time. The new BEBES BRU with WOODEN arms and legs were the only ones that are truly UNBREAKABLE.
The company told its buyers to demain the words “BEBES BRU” on every doll and to check their brand name in the Green Pages of the almanac. The listed mentions Bru patented a sucking baby doll that could eat and digest as well as hardened gum dolls guaranteed to be unbreakable. Their bisque factory stood in Montreuil.
Displays of Silk, Plush, Velvet, Large Hats, Wide Belts and Bouffant Bows
The L’Universell Exposition de 1889 Illustree included an article in November of 1888 that described in detail two window displayed west of the Hall of the Palais de l’Industrie. One window for Bebe Jumeau and the other for Bebe Bru. The Bebe Bru display contained what the writer described as “a delicious collection of dolls, almost all as tall as children, dolled up like real little girls, dressed in silk, plush and velvet and whose silky hair, large hats, wide belts with large bouffant bows give the illusion of little Provence, in the Jardin des Tuileries, on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Dance the little queens, all in a circle!”
House of Diriong
In 1888 the House Ch. Diriong, managed by a Mrs Raffiant advertised selling Bebes Bru and Bebe Jumeaus at 2, Rue Gaignolle, 2 (2nd store when leaving rue du Clocher). Her ads would appear in La Gazette du Centre.
Bebes as well as Mannequin Heads
Henri Chevrot advertised in Le Jouet Francais in May of 1888 in Paris, boulevard de Strasbourg, manufacturing new unbreakable babies made of hollowed out wood, stronger and lighter than those made of cardboard. The ad described unbreakable heads; Bebes Bru with natural eyelashes, distinguished by the delicacy of their hands and feet, as well as by the beauty and good taste of their clothing; as well as Bébés téteurs (sucking babies), patented s. g. d. g.; hardened rubber babies, guaranteed unbreakable. The ad also describes women’s, men’s and children’s heads in biscuit for novelty and clothing stores, hairdressers, corset makers, milliners, needlewomen, etc. cheaper than wax heads.
Third Period : Paul Girard 1890-1899
Ad in Revue Illustree 1890 Jun-Dec
La Mode Illustree, 27 December 1891, p. 10/64
The Annuaire de l’Union Fraternelle du Commerce et de l’industrie listed Paul Girard as manufacturer of Bebe Bru in 1892 at the address of 1 et 3, boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris.
In 1896 Le Jouet Français listed Paul Girard as manufacturer for “Bebe Bru: walking, sending kisses, unbreakable, telescopic, and heads for mannequins with an address of boulevard Saint Denis.
1897 Girard Trademark
In 1897 Paul Girard advertises a new Bebe Bru trademark of a flag with his name, the words BEBE BRU, that he is the successor, and the then address of Boul. de Strasbourg 1 et 3, Paris. The trademark appeared in the Official Directory of Toys & Games. An additional listing read, “manufacturer of the most perfect Bebe-Bru of all Parisian manufacturing; undressed and dressed dolls and baby dolls, boulevard de Strasbourg, 1 and 3. (See advertisement).
An ad in 1897 with two illustrated Bebe Bru dolls read, “BEBE BRU PATENTED S. G. D. G. Eight Gold Medals Paris 1885, 1886, 1888. Liverpool 1886. Le Havre 1887. Toulouse 1887. Barcelona 1888. Melbourne 1888. PAUL GIRARD MANUFACTURER 1 and 3, boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris. – Les BEBES BRU are the strongest, the most graceful and the most elegantly dressed of all Parisian Babies. — Just published: The 1st Elan walking and speaking. The 2nd Elan walking, turning his head. The Breathing, speaking or with music.”
Ads in Newspapers in the USA
Found in The Herald out of Los Angeles, California issued December 04 or 1898, on page 12:
Found in The Evening World (New York) on December 06, 1893 on page 8:
Fourth Period: SJBJ 1899
The SOCIÉTÉ FRANÇAISE DE FABRICATION de Bebes et Jouets (or SFBJ) bought out the Bru company at the same time when they took over Jumeau, Rabery, and other French doll companies in 1899. Their listings in the French Annual Almanac of Commerce had large ads listing Bebe Bru along with Bebe Jumeau, and Eden Bebe.
The era of the beautiful Bru here begins to fade away. As a writer for the Rapports du Jury International de l’Exposition Universelle de 1900 wrote regarding the SFBJ take over:
The manufacture of dolls in France presents this particular case, that it is entirely in the hands of associates grouped into a general and anonymous Société du Bébé Français. Almost all the doll factories have been bought by it, and it is now a real monopoly, because no house could fight against this powerful association. There is no longer a Bébé Bru, a Bébé Géant, an Éden Bébé, a Bébé Jumeau: there is only the Bébé Français, produced in concert by all these associated companies which share the dividends of the operation.
1900. Exposition universelle internationale de 1900. Rapports du Jury International.
See some antique German doll manufacturer marks here.
See some other antique French doll marks here. See some French doll shoe markings here.