Francois Gaultier started making dolls heads and dresses around 1860. He also made dolls limbs and all-bisque dolls and was an extremely high quality doll maker having won the silver medal at the Paris Exposition in 1887 and the bronze medal at the Brussels Exihibition in 1880. In 1884 the company became Gaultier and Son (Gaultier et Fils) then later Gaultier Brothers (Gaultier et Freres) in 1888.

Gaultier dolls are extremely well decorated and made in fine bisque. Many of these dolls heads were supplied to dolls makers such as Vichy, Thuiller and Petit et Dumontier. Gaultier dolls often look very precocious . Their bodies can be wood, composition or Gesland.

In 1899 Gaultier joined the SFBJ.