American Sculpted Porcelain Portrait of Anne Boleyn by Martha Thompson

Live Auction

14" (36 cm.) Sculpted porcelain shoulderhead depicting the second wife of Henry VIII has elaborately detailed coiffe featuring ruffled gold brim on bead-edged cap with flowing black scarf at the nape, sculpted brown hair drawn from her forehead, angular face with deeply-set painted brown eyes, aquiline nose, closed mouth, sculpted pearls and gold jewelry on her bodice, cloth body, wearing original orange velvet gown with metallic gold accents. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Martha D. Thompson 1956. Comments: uniquely modeled portrait doll by the charter member of NIADA. Martha Thompson, with exceptional detail, inspired by the original drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger. Value Points: very rare work by Thompson, is superbly preserved, with original costume. The collection of Martha Thompson dolls in this auction have been in the collection of one owner for nearly 60 years, acquired directly from Connecticut couturier, Martha Yeske, who formed a relationship with Martha Thompson in the mid-1950s, and was commissioned to create costumes for the Thompson dolls. Several vintage articles about their relationship are included with the doll.