$12,000
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
Description
18" (46 cm.) Cloth doll with pressed and oil-painted complexion and facial features, brown shaded hair with shaped curls in front of each stitch-shaped ear, and then forming into ringlet curls that tumble onto her nape, outlined brown eyes, lightly stroked brows, rounded nose, closed mouth with accent line between the lips, firmly stuffed body with stitch jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, defined applied thumbs, unusual original blue sateen body cover, oil-painted hands and lower legs, fine antique costume. Condition: good, typical craquelure on face and shoulderplate, outer gleaming patina is rubbed to matte. Comments: circa 1865, Izannah Walker, the Pawtucket, Rhode Island, doll creator who obtained a patent for her dolls in 1873, but likely had been making them for some time previously. Her patent described her purpose was to create a doll that is "easily kept clean and not apt to injure a young child which may fall upon it. It will preserve its appearance for a long time." Value Points: this most prized of early American folk dolls has rare body style with blue sateen body cover and fine antique dress which is likely original.