Rare French All-Bisque Double-Face Bru with Wonderfully-Painted Stockings

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9" (23 cm.) Bisque swivel head on kid-edged bisque torso,the head having a different face on two sides. One face depicts a cheerful child with delicate pale bisque,painted blue eyes,black upper eyeliner,painted lashes,feathered brows,closed mouth modeled as though open with painted tiny teeth; and the other depicts a crying child with rosy face,painted squinting blue eyes,black eyeliner,sculpted frowning lines,fringed brows,accented nostrils,closed mouth modeled as though open and crying,row of tiny painted teeth. A blonde mohair curly wig covers the face not in display,and the alternate face is revealed by flipping the wig and turning the head; the doll has slender elongated bisque torso,peg-jointed bisque arms and legs,painted white stockings with blue dot decorations and brown two-strap heeled shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Leon Casimir Bru,circa 1880,the two-faced model was first created by him as a poupee,then as a bebe,and both variations are very rare; this all-bisque example is the rarest variation of the three. A nearly duplicate model is shown in Tarnowska's Rare Character Dolls,p.43. Value Points: rarity of the doll is rivaled by its charm,with superb painting and sculpting on both faces,original body and wig,uniquely painted stockings,fine antique lace and silk costume.