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Once upon a time in the fine cityof Paris, there existed a very tiny, yet elegant shopowned by Marie Antoinette Leontine Rohmer – amost charming young lady. I know that fact, becauseit was her magic fingers that created me; thefollowing is my happy tale.

My creator, the very first person that I called“Mama” became one of France’s most exclaimed dollmakers I am proud to say. She began in the Parisianworld of business while working with her mother,Catherine, who was among the city’s leadingdressmakers for little girls. Often, Leontine and hersister Fanny would aid their mother in the creationof dresses and hats for the little girls and on manyoccasions, the family fashioned lovely dolls dressesto match the child’s own dress. Of all of the Rohmerwomen, Leontine was the most talented, and veryimaginative also. Like so many young people intheir early twenties, she had not yet decided what todo with her life. Of course she wished to fall in loveand produce a family, but she possessed the drive todo so much more, but what? She was after all, a“mere woman” and in the early nineteenth-century,

The Rich Life of LilyAs told to Michael Canadas

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the most many could hope for was to find ahusband who would provide well for his family.My Mama harbored far greater ambitions – butexactly what direction they would take her was amystery until….

In the year 1855, a great exhibition was stagedin Paris where all of France’s leadingmanufacturers demonstrated their wares. Curiousvisitors ventured from all over the world to thebustling city, in order to witness the spectacularshowing. The Rohmer ladies attended as well.They enjoyed the displays ever so much, but itwas one display by the Huret firm of Montmartre,which really caught my Mama’s eye! The exquisitearray before her included the most elegant dollsand accoutrements that she had ever seen –dressed in superb clothing, too! The lovely Huretdolls did not resemble any of the dolls that werebrought into her own mother’s shop to be dressed.They were totally new in appearance! So,intrigued with the appealing idea of dolls, at thatmoment it all came to her; this was just the realmthat she would apply herself to. It is true that the

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initial inspiration was sparked by the visit to theexhibit and the Huret display, but Mama pledgedto make her dolls unique; and her mother andsister would help. At last Mama had found hercalling and her God-given talent would be put intoa line of dolls!

As a matter of fact, the very minute she returnedhome, Mama began working on the plans for hernew company – Maison Rohmer. With little startup capital, she would need to use scrap fabricsfrom her mother’s shop to dress her dolls and hersister Fanny could assist her. Right down the streetfrom the dress shop, Mama found a porcelainfactory that would create the heads and other partsfor her dolls. Sensing her enthusiasm, a nice man atthe factory granted her a bit of credit so she couldget started right away. A small display area in hermother’s dress shop housed the initial display ofdolls and on the very first day they were offered,every doll found a new home. My Mama was veryclever, as she created dolls in many sizes andprices, so that almost any little mother could takehome a Rohmer doll! Soon, all of Paris heard aboutthe success of the Rohmer enterprise and ever soslowly, the shop evolved from a dress shop to a

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doll boutique. Creating lovely dolls and beautifulclothing proved to be a great joy for Mama, Fannyand their mother and the fanciful world of dollsquickly consumed their daily lives.

Always full of ideas, in 1857 Mama filed herfirst of many patents for dolls and many morewere to come. Mama designed the dolls’ bodies —always thinking up new kinds of articulations andspecial features for them. Fanny and her mothersewed all of the superb clothing, hats and smallaccessories for the dolls, while Mama wouldspend countless hours finding just the right trunkmaker or shoemaker – nothing was too good for aRohmer doll. She was simply at her happiest andmost alive when busy at work.

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1867 was an exciting year, as the Rohmer firmexhibited at the Exhibition Universelle. There,Mama’s lovely display was awarded the BronzeMedal – a true reward, as she had placed her entireheart and soul into the exhibit. The Emperor andEmpress presented the medals at the award ceremonyand that great honor proved to be one of thehighlights of Mama’s entire career.

The exhibition of 1867 was also a highlight for mepersonally, for that year I made my debut. You see, Iwas a very significant part of that great display andone of the most extraordinary dolls in attendance.Created especially for the exhibit, I was there in myentire splendor, with many, many beautiful thingsthat were prepared just for me. During the exhibition,many little girls and their mothers dreamed of

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owning me, but I was not offered for sale there.When the exhibit was over, I would be offered forpurchase in the Rohmer shop.

Of all of the thousands in attendance, Iremember one little girl in particular, becausewhen asked by her mother which doll was herfavorite, she smiled and shyly pointed right atme. She confided to her attentive mother that ifshe could possess me, she would name me Lilyand I would be the only doll she would everwant. Well, I instantly made up my mind – thatcharming little girl was the one I preferred to takecare of me. I longed for her mother to come andselect me at Christmas time, but she did not. Tomy surprise and great delight, it was the littlegirl’s father who appeared in the boutique! Whata fine gentleman he appeared to be. I recall Fannyhelped him personally, as he held a veryimportant position in the government. Helistened thoughtfully to the helpful suggestionsFanny made, carefully considering all of theoptions available, such as the proper trunk andshoes and all the little extra things that both dollsand little girls love. To my delight, he chose theabsolute best quality items, for nothing was toofine for his only daughter, Madeleine.

I must admit I was sad to leave the boutique,the only home that I had ever known, but onChristmas morning, I truly became aware of thereasons for my existence. In my short life, I hadalways been admired, but I was never trulyloved. Now, I would enjoy a little playmate of myown and Madeleine was true to her word, shewould never have another doll.

We lived in a lovely house with many rooms,just on the outskirts of Paris. I enjoyed being thecenter of Madeleine’s world. We experiencedgreat adventures in our lovely, walled garden andI was always right there, a part of every event inmy Madeline’s life; shopping trips were plannedespecially for me and on great train rides, I wentalong safely housed in my sturdy trunk. Not onlydid I go back to my place of birth to acquire newthings, we traveled to all of the exquisite dollboutiques in Paris to search for perfect objects,just for me. Everything Madeleine chose met withmy approval, which gave her such joy.

Every night, Madeleine would dress me in mydainty nightgown and then gently place a delicatekiss on each of my cheeks. I would be tucked inbed, she would kneel beside me, say her prayersand right after her wishes for Mama and Papawere stated, I was always mentioned; Please watchover my little Lily. Of course I didn’t sleep, Isimply waited patiently for my little mother toawaken to start of a fresh, new adventure.

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Happily, we survivedthe war and before youknow it, my littlemother flourished andgrew to become a lovelyyoung lady. Withmaturity though, shefound less time tospend with me. Thegoodnight kissesslowed, then completelystopped, as I saw lessand less of Madeleine.In her sixteenth year,with great affection, shecarefully packed me inmy trunk alongside allof my wonderful things.On very rare occasions,some tearful I mustnote, she would openmy trunk and there Ilay. Months turned intoyears and when

Madeleine was feeling sentimental, she mighttake me out of my trunk, only to put me back in itfor several more years.

My Madeleine never married, nor borechildren, so I just resigned myself that I wouldnever play again. Year after year passed by…thefirst fifty elapsed so slowly. It was during thefifty-fifth year of darkness when my once littlegirl ascended to her maker. For the first time inmy existence I was really alone. I was alone in mydark trunk and there was no one around whoeven cared to open it.

Unbelievably, another fifty years passed beforesomeone finally turned the key of my trunk. Thedusty lid creaked open to a whole new world forme to behold; a world filled with strange sightsand sounds that were never imagined when I was

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young, yet somehow familiar. I found myself back ina shop, not far from where I started out my longjourney. I must admit I thought it rather strange thatduring my days in the shop, there were no childrenthere to admire me. It was the grownup people whovied for my attention and it wasn’t long before a dealwas struck on my behalf. It seemed my new ownerworked in a flying machine, which flew all over theworld. Listening intently, I gathered she was reallylooking at me as some kind of investment, but I wasjust relieved to know I had value, considering myadvanced age and all.

I was taken to America, which I actually knewquite a lot about from my little Madeleine’s studiesand was promptly sold to a lady who was in thebusiness of selling dolls – like my original Mama, butwithout the elegant surroundings.

I was immediately squeezed into a glass case alreadyfilled with very large dolls called bebes (who were alsoFrench born, but so nouveau) and the room they tookup! My French cousins were just too big for words! Now,you know I have spent time in a display case before, butwithout all of my things near me, – I was not happy.

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One day, a nice couple came especially to see me. Theyhad scheduled an appointment, so I assumed I was

very special. True to my feelings, they too thoughtthat I was very charming, so I went home with

them. There, I was put in their display case (in avery prominent location I must admit), but all ofmy lovely possessions, my trunk and all of itscontents were left behind – simply forgotten? Itwas some time before everything was returnedto me. I recall the day my trunk arrived, thecouple was so overwhelmed by the sheervolume of my trousseau and furnishings, thatthey took me out of the case, put me back inmy trunk and stored me under a bed! I was notamused to be shrouded in darkness again, but Iwas somehow content in that close proximity –the familiar scent of my favorite things

reminded me of my beloved life with littleMadeleine. I patiently waited to see what might

happen next…. A few more years went by and just as I was

becoming unbearably bored, I was whisked away toNew Orleans. I found happiness in that city, as its

foreign feel somehow reminded me of my native France.A gentleman named Joel was my new custodian. Joel was

so proud of me that I was made a part of many exhibits andthrough them, I became known as “the richest doll in the world”.

During one of the exhibits, with a sense of déjà vu in the air, I could not help but notice avery intent lady who seemed quite obsessed with me. My welfare was asked about everytime Joel encountered her. Countless subsequent inquiries were made about me – they justnever ended! It seems the lady never forgot me and a few years later, I made the trip toCalifornia to live with her and for the first time in well over one hundred years, I felt at home.

Upon my arrival, all of my clothing was mended and pressed, while my exquisite hatswere displayed on little wooden stands. My furniture was polished and the drawers werefilled. Everything that was so lovingly collected by my little Madeleine was placed withtender care. My new owner Karen loved me; I knew because I was given a great place ofhonor in her collection. I watched over her and her children, just as I had Madeleinemany lifetimes before and for that I was rewarded with many lovely gifts…more thingsthan a doll would ever dream of. When a new house was planned, a special place wasbuilt for me to reside in. Many parties have been held in my honor – it’s a thrill to berevered and loved by so many.

My days are mostly quiet now and I spendconsiderable time with my very own dollcollection. Often, I think back to my sweetbeginning and the total devotion that wentinto my making. When I take stock of all Ipossess – the material treasures, and then Iadd the greatest value – the pure love of achild, then include the passion of collectorswhose generous sharing allowed me to baskin infinite admiration, and I have to admit that“Lily is the richest doll in the world”. I don’tknow what the future will bring, but today Isurely live happily ever after. Lily