Extremely Rare French Wooden Articulated Poupee Body

Live Auction

14" (36 cm.) Bisque shoulder head with painted blue eyes,dark eyeliner,painted curly lashes,feathered brows,accented nostrils,closed mouth with center accent line,un-pierced ears,closed mouth,lambswool wig over cork pate,wooden body with highly-polished enameled finish,shaped bosom,attached-ball-swivel waist,ball and pin jointing at shoulders,elbows,hips,knees and ankles,extra-pivot jointing at upper arms and legs,bisque forearms. Condition: restoration of hands,reglue of shoulderplate,body is near mint. Comments: circa 1860,the maker is unknown,although the superb craftsmanship of the model indicates its debt to other early patent designers of articulated doll bodies including Herbillon,Arnaud and Cruchet; this body has elements of each of those but matches none exactly. The jointing system of this doll is actually thin brass plates or pins that are just visible at the jointing slits,and which allow exceptional articulation. Value Points: extremely rare poupee body with artistic production and having superb original finish.