8" (20 cm.) A bisque-headed doll with blue glass eyes, painted features, closed mouth, blonde mohair wig, cork torso enclosing mechanism, brass-plated tin loosely jointed limbs with painted finish, wearing factory-original red cotton swimsuit with white rick-rack trim, is designed to "swim" when keywound. Condition: generally excellent, mechanism functions well. Marks: Ondine (gilt letter stamp on costume) Ondine Brevete en France SGDG et a l'Etranger (box label). Comments: designed by Elie Martin, the toy was displayed at the 1878 Paris Exposition where it won a Medaille d'Or. The toy was discussed in an 1882 book, Les Jouets d'Enfants by Demoulin: "The Ondine was invented by a highly talented and well educated individual who acquired a serious aversion to water as a young boy. He was wise enough not to try to conquer his instrictive revulsion to water by violent means, but instead had the idea of a swimming doll what would familiarize children with swimming..." (see The Encyclopedia of French Dolls by Theimer, page 396). Value Points: wonderfully preserved early toy, unplayed with, with original costume including bathing cap and "Ondine" lettering, original box with French and English instructions, especially beautiful bisque head.