A Family of American Black-Complexioned Wax Dolls by Mary McEwen

Live Auction

11" (28 cm.) Each has hand-sculpted wax head with rich brown complexion, large round brown glass up-glancing eyes, tiny nose, closed mouth, plump cheeks, bald pate, the two larger with original wire-frame body wrapped in cloth and with large sculpted wax hands in expressive pose, and the child with fabric wrapped wire-frame body and leatherette hands and feet. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Mary McEwen, circa 1920, the wax artist learned her trade from her husband's business, McEwen Wax Works, which made wax mannequins for store displays; after her husband's death, McEwen moved to Seattle, and according to legend, began to create miniature wax people using the same techniques employed in her husband's business. For about 20 years, she is said to have produced hundreds of these small dolls, each individually sculpted and each entirely made by her. Never marketed, the dolls were only later discovered in her estate. Value Points: the well-preserved dolls are highly-characterized, each distinctly unique, and are wearing original costumes.