Bebe Gigoteur by Steiner with Provenance

Live Auction

20" (51 cm). Solid domed bisque head with rounded facial modeling and lovely pale bisque, small dark blue glass inset eyes, dark eyeliner, painted lashes, lightly feathered brows, accented nostrils and eye corners, rose blushed eyeshadow, open mouth, shaded lips, row of tiny teeth, carton torso containing clockwork mechanism, composition arms and lower legs, kid-over-metal hinged hips. When keywound the doll turns head, waves arms and legs and cries "mama". Condition: generally excellent. Marks: Aux Enfants Sage, Guiton, Succ. 13,15,17 Passage Jouffroy, Paris (body label, indicating doll shop that presented the doll). Comments: Jules Steinerís Bebe Gigoteur, circa 1875, an early model of the popular child doll. Value Points: the beautiful doll has original boutique label of Aux Enfants Sage, wears original green silk dress with lace trim, matching straw bonnet, undergarments, brown leather rosette shoes and is preserved in its original wooden box with an assortment of antique costumes and accessories: cotton print dress with dropped waist, ribbed pink flannel coat with cape, brown tweed dress with matching hooded cape, white twill cape with cutwork border, white flannel cap, straw bonnet, undergarments, walking strings, white batiste night cap, and has penciled note indicating the name of the doll, originally owned by the child Louise Malden, was "Madeleine". The doll is being sold by the Parisian family who have kept the doll in their possession since that time.