$2,400
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
Description
6" (15 cm.) Each is a one-piece hand-carved wooden shoulderhead depicting an adult lady and man with youthful appearance, each with egg-shaped head, elongated throat, and individually-defined sculpting of features such as the woman's larger rounded nose, and the man's slender upturned nose. Each has painted facial features, the woman with larger blue eyes, closed mouth, exceptional sculpting of hair with deeply defined comb-marks, center-part with two ringlet curls at each side of face (carved away from the head), and brushed across the back of her head to form a tightly coiled chignon at center back. The man has short tousled hair that is combed forward from a center spot at the back, and waved behind sculpted ears. Condition: generally excellent, light nose paint rubs. Comments: American, early 19th century, acquired by Margaret Hartshorn in the 1960s, ex-collection Estelle Winthrop, their legendary provenance was of being made by the hand of a Maine fisherman; the story of the dolls was told by Mrs. Hartshorn in a 1995 issue of Antique Doll World. Value Points: exceptional original condition of the carved heads, superb hair sculpting and individual characterization of the rare couple, still united after nearly two centuries.