From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
French toy manufacturer
Petitcollin
Industry
| chemical industry
manufacture of games and toys
|
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Founded
| Etain
,
France
(1860)
|
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Founder
| Nicolas Petitcollin
|
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Headquarters
| ,
France
|
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Key people
| Yvan Lacroix
|
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Products
| Dolls and toys
|
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Revenue
| 636 693 €
|
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Number of employees
| 9
|
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Website
| [1]
|
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Petitcollin
is a
French
toy manufacturing company. It is the last French factory of Swimmers, Poupons and traditional dolls still operating. It still manufactures the plastic version of the swimming
doll
Petit Collin, production of which began around 1924-26.
History
[
edit
]
In the early 1800s, Nicolas Petitcollin, the company's founder, manufactured horn combs in
Etain
,
Meuse
, France. Since 1864, the company has been headquartered in
Paris
. Nicolas Petitcollin began working in
celluloid
in the late 1800s. In 1901, the company adopted an eagle's head logo, which it retains to this day. It has been listed on the
Paris Stock Exchange
since November 27, 1906. It began manufacturing dolls in 1912.
During
World War I
, the factory in Etain was completely destroyed. Nonetheless Petitcollin thrived during the
interwar period
. Around 1924-1926, the Petitcollin company innovated by launching on the market a baby doll which can be bathed, the swimming doll "Petit Collin". With the arrival of
polyester resins
, Petitcollin decided to specialize in manufacturing objects made from the material. In 1961 it became the first French manufacturer of polyester resin helmets, operating from a rebuilt factory in Etain.
In 1995, Vilac acquired the company, which became known as
SARL
Jouets Petitcollin. The factory has been open to the public since 1998. It is the only operational doll factory in France; the company was given the
Label Entreprise du partimoine vivant
(Living Heritage Company label) by the
French government
in 2007.
The association of local authorities around Etain built a museum dedicated to the brand; it opened in September 2009. On October 19, 2009, the French post office emitted a dolls stamps collection. A Petitcollin swimming doll appeared on one of them.
External links
[
edit
]