Passed
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Description
19" (48 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden platform is a bisque-head doll with very expressive character face,blue glass paperweight eyes,widely beaming smile with painted row of teeth,painted features,pierced ears,blonde mohair wig over cork pate,carton torso and legs,bisque forearms,wearing silk satin party dress with beaded edging,velvet bonnet,silk shoes. She is holding a toy Polichinelle in her hands,seemingly delighted that his head has fallen off his body!Movements and Music. Turning her head from side-to-side as though to draw attention to the amusing incident,she nods forward,looking at the capricious disaster,and then alternately lifting each arm to show the separate parts. There is one tune,according to the original paper label,named Le Bi du Bout du Bang,likely a pop tune of the time utilizing slang terms. Leopold Lambert,circa 1892,with very rare bisque character head marked "203" commissioned from Jumeau expressively for Lambert's automata. A companion head model with crying face was also made,and is more typically found with this automaton,suggesting the child was sad at the breaking of her doll. The present interpretation of a gleefully laughing child is a bit disquieting,although interesting and rare.