German Miniature Doll with Sculpted Hat and Earrings and Wooden Articulated Body

Live Auction

5" (13 cm.) Paper mache head with sculpted black hair having long tendrils of curls onto back shoulders and topped with a red-banded green cap, painted facial features, brown eyes, closed mouth, on original all-wooden fully-articulated body with dowel-jointing at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, painted flat red shoes. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Germany, circa 1830. Value Points: very rare early doll whose rarity features include "alien material" head, wooden articulated body, sculpted hair, hat and jewelry. The doll is from the early collection of noted doll research Madeline Merrill, and was featured in her book The Art of Dolls 1700-1940 (pp 11 & 74).