29" (74 cm.) Bisque socket head with light brown complexion, brown glass sleep eyes, black painted lashes, black thickly brush-stroked brows with feathered details and decorative glaze, accented nostrils and eye corners, open mouth, four porcelain teeth, pierced ears, black mohair wig, brown composition and wooden ball-jointed body. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Germany Heinrich Handwerck Simon & Halbig 15. Comments: Handwerck, circa 1895. An interesting story is told about Handwerck's production of black dolls in Cieslik's German Doll Studies, page 203; their production was encouraged by Minna Handwerck (wife) who commissioned Simon and Halbig to manufacture "several adequate heads with pretty Negro faces of chocolate color and not deep black". Heinrich had little hopes for the dolls, but sales were heavy, production could hardly keep up with demand, and "this brought us a very good profit" said Minna. Value Points: rare large model with antique costume, acquired by Carole Jean Zvonar from "the oldest black resident of Edenton, North Carolina whose father was a minister".