Outstanding Early Carved Doll with Sculpted Head and Hands, Wooden Cage Body

Live Auction

27" (69 cm.) The oval-faced lady's head, of carved bone, is posed tilted to the side, with elongated throat, heavy eyelids, blue enamel eyes, painted features to enhance carved details, closed mouth with benign smile, brunette hair wig, on wooden body with shapely torso, dowel-jointing at shoulders and elbows, and with carved bone hands with separately-defined fingers, on wooden cage-skirt with attached original base. Condition: generally excellent, some frailty to silk on sleeves. Comments: Continental, 18th century, the doll was created originally for ceremonial parades, and later evolved into use as a fashion or historical model. Value Points: rare doll with superb carving of face and hands, original body, superb original velvet, silk and brocade costume.