Passed
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Description
24" (61 cm.) Standing upon a velvet-covered wooden platform is a bisque-head doll holding a toy theatre with two bisque performers in her left hand and a third small bisque performer in her other hand. The girl has blue glass paperweight inset eyes,closed mouth,applied pierced ears,beautifully painted features,brunette human hair over cork pate,carton torso and legs,composition lower arms. She is wearing burgundy silk bebe dress and matching bonnet with Alencon lace. The bisque performers have sculpted hair and painted facial features,muslin bodies and original folklore style costumes.Movements and Music. The little girl proudly displays her favorite toy,a little miniature theatre. Then turning side-to-side to capture attention of on-lookers,she demonstrates for all to see. Nodding forward,she twists her wrist back and forth causing the little dolls to dance in a puppet-like action. She then moves her right arm toward the theatre as if wishing to add another doll to the performance,then pauses,reconsidering. The act goes on. Music plays. Attributed to Gustave Vichy,Paris,circa 1885,with bisque head marked "Tete Jumeau Bte SGDG 8". The extremely rare model was considered in the luxury class,offered in the 1884 Etrennes catalog of the Paris Au Louvre store at 290 frances,about 10 times the price of a luxury doll in the same catalog. Few examples are known to exist.In a late 19th century photograph of the Baker-Troll showroom in Geneva,Switzerland,featuring luxury floor-standing music boxes,two automata are also displayed; this model is one of the two.