$23,000
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Description
26" (66 cm.) Bisque socket head,deep blue glass
paperweight inset eyes,thick black
eyeliner,painted lashes,brush-stroked and
multi-feathered brows,accented eye corners and
nostrils,closed mouth with outlined lips,pierced
ears,brunette human hair wig over cork pate,French
composition and wooden fully-jointed body.
Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Depose Tete
Jumeau Bte SGDG 11 (and artist checkmarks on head)
Bebe Jumeau Diplome hÞHonneur (body). Comments:
Emile Jumeau,circa 1892,the doll represents the
Russian Tsar Alexander III in full regalia costume
at the time of the signing of the Franco-Russian
Alliance in 1892. In his commission to create the
important historical figure,Jumeau chose to use a
head one size smaller than the body,thus achieving
a more realistic "adult" proportion. It is not
certain if the costume was created in the Jumeau
atelier or by custom uniform tailors; the
workmanship and tailoring is exceptional,from the
military cap to the miniature perfectly-detailed
shoulder epaulets. The costume includes a white
shirt (front with tiny narrow tucks),black silk
tie,heavy black woolen double-breasted jacket with
wide lapels,gold stripes and epaulets,black
leather belt with lionÞs head buckles,leather
sword scabbard,green woolen trousers,black leather
custom shoes with pointed toes,cobbler soles and
heels and impressed 12. The jacket is liberally
decorated with brass buttons and five "diamond"
star-shaped emblems with centering "emerald" or
"alexandrite" stones. A gilt emblem decorates the
cap,and the appropriately-scaled sword is of fine
craftsman quality. It is uncertain if the doll was
unique,or one of a small series created for French
and Russian dignitaries at this historical event;
nevertheless this is the one example known to
still exist. Value Points: very rare doll of
historical significance,in a perfectly-preserved
state,having been in the possession of the
original family owners since its making.