Chinese Wooden "Chang the Chinese Farmer" Doll from Door of Hope Mission

Live Auction

13" (33 cm.) Carved wooden head with well-defined facial features, carved hair with unusual coiled queue, cloth body, wooden hands posed to hold an object, carved wooden bare feet. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Chinese Door of Hope mission doll, representing "Chang the Chinese Farmer", described in their catalog as being "carved from wood like ivory by a master Chinese craftsman" and having "gentle impassive features", circa 1920. Value Points: perfectly-preserved rare model with uniquely-sculpted coiled queue, wooden bare feet, and original costume of woven straw over blue denim work suit and woven hat, and with original rake. During the 1920s, young Mary Louise Ulmer of Pottsville, Pa. traveled with her parents to China and other countries of the Far East, collecting artifacts from those voyages. These artifacts remained in the family holdings for three generations, until this time, a century later, during which they have been carefully nurtured and preserved. Among the artifacts are the Door of Hope dolls presented here, for the first time on the collecting market. A copy of the letter of provenance is presented with each doll.