Wooden Door of Hope Dolls in Original Costumes

Live Auction

12" (30 cm.) and 11". Each has carved wooden head with well defined facial features and tinted eyes,firmly stuffed muslin body,and carved wooden hands. Condition: generally excellent,some costume fading. Comments: Shanghai,Door of Hope mission dolls,circa 1920. Included are Modern Chinese Nurse" with carved black hair with stippled curls at sides of head and coiled chignon with rose clip,wearing three layered tunic tops of cream and lavender,lavender mid-calf pants,black slippers and cap; Modern House Boy" with side- parted black painted hair wearing (faded) blue long robe with hidden flaps over black leggings,black slippers and cap,black silk vest; and another House Boy with side-parted black painted hair wearing pale blue patterned silk robes under (frail) blue silk jacket,maroon leggings,black silk slippers and hat. Two have original ink script paper labels denoting their costume. The dolls were acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1922.