$12,000
Sold
sold
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Description
20" (51 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden base is a bisque-head doll with deep blue glass paperweight inset eyes, brush-stroked brows, lushly painted lashes, open mouth, row of porcelain teeth, brunette human hair over cork pate, carton torso and legs, wire upper arms, bisque forearms, red silk and ivory costume and shoes. The doll is holding an advertising card from Poupee Modele doll journal in one hand, and tray of tiny bisque dolls in the other. When wound, music plays, she turns and nods her head, and alternately extends the tray of dolls or lifts the advertising card as though proferring publicity for the children's publication and its wares. Condition: generally excellent, music and mechanism function well. Marks: L./B. (key) 4 (doll). Comments: Leopold Lambert, Paris, circa 1890, with original bisque head from Emile Jumeau. Value Points: brilliant blue eyes beautifully contrast the rich silk costume, and silk-covered tray of seven tiny all-bisque dolls in this rare musical promotional automaton, likely a special commission.