Captured!: My White Whale (Ending A Three-Year Hunt)

Ever since I began collecting Josef Originals back in 2011, I have been chasing a certain figurine that, at times, seemed to be only a dream....

I had seen her in my very first Josef Originals guide book and knew I had to have her. See, along with Josef Originals, I am also obsessed with 18th Century France. So naturally my jaw hit the floor when I saw that Muriel had made an 18th (XVIII) Century French series. (Magnificique!) 
 
In my 3 year long hunt, I had had some promising leads, some close encounters, and some near successes. 
Once, I had even
held.
her.
in.
my.
hands,
only to then be filled with bitter disappointment when I quickly realized the seller I had bought her from had sold me (ME!) a repaired doll.

This particular doll only seemed to be coming around once, maybe, twice a year. And each time I would see one listed, my heart would skip a beat, and I would swoon, just a bit..... and then, just as quickly as they had risen, my hopes would simply plummet when, upon closer inspection with my all-seeing peepers, the sneaky little flaws would rear their ugly heads, deeming the doll unfit for my collection.

So that would be that, and the hunt would go on.

Hence, she had become my elusive white whale. My "Nessy" of sorts.


But alas! Right around my 30th birthday, the clouds parted, and the stars aligned.

She was flawless, priced right (really right!), and mine for the taking. Happy birthday, me!

                                                                    "Marie"

Sadly she does not have her "Marie" name tag/label. NO, I did not remove it like I did with "Jeanne"! (Stupid! Stupid!) (See last post)

 

So, that was the end of my three year hunt.

(And, sadly, my 20's as well!)

 

 

Finally, this once youthful hunter can rest.

 

For now.....

 

 

(I would not find out until later, after buying more Josef books, that there were actually 6 marvelous Madames in this same gorgeous series...a series which quickly became my favorite. The other 5 dolls were promptly added to my MUST HAVE list, and were thankfully much easier to acquire than "Marie", the French beauty who first won my heart.)

Here are the other 5 lovely mademoiselles:
                                                               "Babette"

                                                                    
                                                                     "Gabrielle"

 

                                                                          "Denise"

 

                                                                       "Yvonne"

 

                                                                       "Charmaine"