Each 14" (35 cm). Each has carved wooden shoulder head with highly characterized painted facial features and hair portraying aristocratic man and woman of the French court; the woman with pompadoured carved hair with four rows of horizontal curls at the sides and a long curl that extends low at the nape of the neck and is captured upward; the man with carved horizontal curls at the sides of head and a carved ponytail at the back. Each has original muslin torso and upper arms and legs, carved wooden lower arms and legs, and carved wooden torso with explicitly carved male and female elements. The woman has carved and painted blue heeled slippers and the man has carved and painted black heeled shoes with buckles. Each wears its original elaborate court costume, the woman with multi-layered gown and coat, printed homespun petticoats and cape lining; the man with muslin shirt, metallic embroidered vest, lined silk jacket, and green silk short pants with handy button front. CONDITION: generally excellent, some expected fading a craquelure of original finish. COMMENTS: the dolls were created for the French court of the late 18th century, and used in various theatrical and play presentations that portrayed the latest court scandals and goings-on. VALUE POINTS: extremely rare dolls, few of the very small series are known to exist; this superbly preserved couple have been in a private Paris collection for many decades.