$3,200
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Description
21" (53 cm.) Sculpted porcelain shoulderhead depicting Queen Elizabeth II at the time of her coronation, with sculpted brown hair waved into curls behind her ears, painted facial features, blue shaded eyes, closed mouth, modeled bosom cloth body, porcelain arms, gold heeled shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: M.D. Thompson 1953. Comments: Martha Thompson, the highly esteemed American doll artist, charter member of NIADA, inspired by the 1953 coronation of the young queen, hand-sculpted the doll which is wearing its original couturier gown made by Martha Yeske of Connecticut. Mrs. Yeske had traveled to a meeting of the Boston Doll Study Group in the early 1950s, bringing along her work on a replica of the young Queen's actual Coronation gown. At this meeting she met Martha Thompson who loved the costume so much that she immediately purchased it for one of her dolls. In return Martha Thompson gave an uncostumed Queen Elizabeth doll to Mrs. Yeske, which is this present doll. A friendship ensued, with exchanges of dolls and costumes, lasting until Martha Thompson's death in 1964. The story is related in newspaper clippings of the time which are included with this doll. Value Points: the portrait doll is wearing an extraordinary costume replicated by Martha Yeske from original pattern designs, and according to the included article has 3600 beads, 200 pearls, and 100 rhinestones arranged in symbolic designs such as the shamrock and Tudor rose. The doll was acquired by its present owner nearly 60 years ago from Mrs. Yeske and has remained in her possession until now.