Miss Annie Kelley's Porcelain Lady Doll with Trousseau and Provenance
Lot #17
20" (51 cm.) Solid domed porcelain shoulderhead with black painted pate under hand-tied brunette human hair, painted blue eyes, red and black upper eyeliner, single stroke brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth, muslin stitch-jointed body, kid arms with stitched and separated fingers. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Germany, circa 1860. The doll, along with her trousseau and accessories was acquired by nine-year-old Miss Annie Kelley of Boston at the charity Sanitary Commission Fair held in the Old Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts in December 1863. The Fairs, sponsored by the newly-founded U.S. Sanitary Commission (forerunner of the Red Cross) were held in cities such as Chicago, New York, Manhattan, Philadelphia and Boston during this time period with the purpose of raising funds to support wounded Civil War soldiers and their families. A popular highlight of the Fairs was the presentation and sale of a doll with her trousseaux sewn by noted local couturiers. In a very few instances, the continuing life story of the doll has been documented. Miss Annie Kelley's doll is one example. According to a report in the Boston Journal of the time, fifteen dolls were sold at that Fair including one with a trousseau which is likely this very doll. It is known that Miss Annie Kelley treasured the doll until her 1947 death in her 93rd year, then passing into the hands of early collectors Ruth Walker and Zelda Cushner, and thence to Lorna Lieberman. The doll has been beautifully preserved, albeit along the way several of her originally listed costumes have disappeared including the gown in which she was photographed on the cover of the 1964 Doll Collector's Guild (included with the doll). The trousseau includes: ice-blue silk two-piece gown with black Alencon lace trim, and matching lace-edged velvet cap, black taffeta two-piece ensemble with black velvet trim, and featuring hip-length jacket and pagoda sleeves; black cashmere jacket with patterned flowers and unusual green accents; plush angora jacket with coat sleeves and box-pleated organza neck ruffles; quilted plum silk fitted jacket with black Alencon lace and unusual ivory embroidery; black silk fitted jacket with blue silk bows and trim; crisp white striped day dress with pagoda sleeves and floral banding; cream twill jacket with red grosgrain edging; lace serge jacket with Belgian lace edging; blue knit shawl with pom-pom ties and cream plush muff with blue silk lining; red woolen shawl with paisley bands; two cream flannel embroidered petticoats; petticoat with train, hoop, six bonnets, snood, dainty night shift with lace-edged collar, two additional jackets and a white blouse, pantalets, sleevelets, two corsets, fan, comb, brushes, two baskets, red knitted mittens, blue kidskin gloves, tan kidskin gloves, tapestry satchel, beadwork purse with "Forget Me Not" inscription; and an early domed trunk with double lift-out trays and a blue folio inside the lid for paper documents.
