$3,500
Sold
sold
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Description
28" (71 cm.) Carton moule head with flat-cut neck socket allowing the head to pivot side-to-side, large blue glass enamel inset eyes in half-moon shape with pronounced eyelids, dark eyeliner, painted brows, nostril accents, closed mouth with center accent line, original black silk skull-cap with remnants of original wig, carton moule torso with shapely bosom and tiny waist, muslin arms, carved elongated fingers, hinge-jointed long slender wooden legs. The torso is attached to a wooden slat which, in turn, attaches to a hidden wooden mechanism, designed to be operated by pull strings, and which, when pulled cause the legs to move back and forth. Condition: mechanism needs work, feet chipped off, one wheel replaced, uncostumed except original lace-edged cap. French, late 1700/early 1800s. Value Points: extremely rare early mechanical toy with brilliant eyes, intriguing mechanism. Included is a 12 1/2" x 10" copy of Histoire de Jouets by Henri d'Allemagne, published in 1904, and including a chapter on early mechanical or walking dolls with early engravings of same.