$14,000
Sold
sold
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Description
14" (36 cm.) h. seated. 14" x 14" base. Seated upon a velvet-covered wooden base is a bisque girl with blue glass opening/closing eyes, original mohair lashes, painted features, open mouth, four porcelain teeth, dimpled chin, pierced ears, blonde mohair wig, carton torso and legs with metal hip hinge, wire upper arms, bisque forearms. Arranged aside the doll is a paper mache donkey with nodding head upon which is seated a paper mache Polichinelle in original classic costume; and she holds a ribbon with bells in her left hand and a bone rattle in her right hands. Condition: generally excellent, music and motions function well. Marks: 1300-7 Dep S&H (and original boutique label under velvet cover). Comments: Leopold Lambert, who deposed this model in 1894 along with this note about its design, "I took careful note of the movements made by the child and I have managed to imitate the entire range of these movements". Value Points: delightful automaton, the little girl with original wig and original fine silk dress and leather shoes marked Bebe Jumeau 4. The automaton is notable for the number of synchronic movements: turning head side to side, blinking eyes, leaning forward, alternately waving arms, kicking feet up and down in delight, while the donkey nods his head and swings back and forth. All the while, music plays.