Special Collectors Set 7

The Sun King

Limited to 250 Sets - Issued in 1974

This was the first issue of dolls to use  the "LE" (limited Edition) prefix

King Louis XIV became King of France at the age of five, and ruled for seventy-two years.   For 54 years, he personally controlled the French government, in a type of rule known as Absolutism.   His long reign stabilised France, and the French culture became the most admired in Europe.   He is perhaps best remembered for building the Palace of Versailles.

He had a string of mistresses, but was always unfailingly kind to Queen Marie Thérèse, who became great friends with one of his many mistresses, Athenais, Marquise de Montespan

Louise, Duchess de la Valliere, lived openly as the king's mistress for six years, and was made a Duchess for her services.   One of her two illegitemate children by the king, the Compte de Vermandois, was later rumoured to be the "Man in the Iron Mask".   She eventually retired to a convent in 1674

Athenais had several children with the King, and became great friends with the Queen.   She was ousted from the King's affections by the governess she hired, Madame Scarron.   Athenais also retired to a convent

Whilst known as Madame Scarron, Francoise, Madame de Maintenon was governess to the children of the Marquise de Montespan.   Described as the best educated woman in his Court, Louis secretly married her in 1683, when he was 46.   He remained true to her for the next 32 years, until his death

The complete set consisted of the following five dolls :

  • LE/50 - King Louis XIV, "The Sun King"
  • LE/51 - Queen Marie Thérèse
  • LE/52 - Louise, Duchess de la Valliere
  • LE/53 - Athenais, Marquise de Montespan
  • LE/54 - Francoise, Madame de Maintenon

Each doll was supplied with a numbered certificate of authenticity

The slideshow below displays the entire "Sun King" doll collection


The doll pictures will auto run as a slide show in the window above.

Press F5 (function key 5 on your keyboard), to re-start the slide show.

Alternatively, you may control the slideshow manually – follow the steps below :

  • Place the cursor at the bottom of the window to access thumbnail and navigation control bar
  • Click on the “?” (question mark) symbol (bottom left hand side of the control bar) for a detailed explanation of the controls
  • See a full screen slideshow by clicking on the “Square with Arrow” symbol (2nd from right on the control bar)
  • Use the keyboard arrow keys to move forward and back through the slideshow, as desired
  • Use the “ESC” key to leave full screen mode

News

21st September 2023

 

Important Announcement

 

My dear wife, Christine, passed away on the 8th December, 2021after 8 weeks in hospital. I was by her side, when she slipped away from me peacefully, with no pain or suffering.

 

Chris had been struggling with a slow decline in health, associated with a progressive, untreatable, and ultimately terminal lung disease, and finally succumbed to her old adversary, Pneumonia.

 

We had been friends for 55 years, together as a couple for 50 years, and married just a month short of 48 years, when she died.   

 

This website was Chris's idea, and I did all the technical stuff, to make it work.   After news of Chris's passing reached her close friends in the doll collecting world, I was deeply touched and gratified to hear their tributes to my dear wife, and I must thank them all for their kindness and support.   Ultimately, it was her doll friends that gave me the courage to continue with the website.

 

In the months before her eventual hospitalisation, Chris had outlined a number of additions and changes she wanted to make to the website, and it is my intention to honour those wishes, and to implement the changes we had considered, over the coming weeks and months.

 

I must apologise to all those who have written to us via the website, only to have your emails go unanswered.   Unfortunately, the email system had been hacked aroung the time Chris was going into hospital, and many emails must have been lost, as a result.

 

As you might imagine, I felt completely broken by Chris's loss, and it is only now, almost 22 months after her passing, that I have felt strong enough to even look at the website again.   

 

My aim is to continue with the website, and to implement Chris's aims for her many new ideas as soon as I can.   In the meantime, I have hopefully got the email system sorted out, and I will attempt to answer any enquiries as soon as I can, and to send replies with the same high degree of accuracy that a reply from Chris would have had.

 

From now on, I will be flying solo, whilst my co-pilot and guide will be soaring much higher, (though she is always in my heart, and in my thoughts).

 

My thanks to all our website visitors for your continued support

 

Dave (also known as Arthur), and Chris, (my lost love, Guinevere)

 

Christine Poulten

25th December 1949 - 8th December 2021