#154

Extremely Rare Mid-19th Century Peddler Doll Couple with Extraordinary Wares
Live Auction

Ended
$7,000
sold
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Description
18" (46 cm.) Two early peddler dolls are attached to an original wooden base,including woman with head of carved wood or paper-mache,and smaller paper-mache boy; each with sculpted and painted hair and facial features,muslin body,and original costume. Condition: generally excellent,some typical minor dustiness. Comments: for the English market,mid-19th century. Value Points: exceptional and unique peddler pair,she with especially fine sculpting of hair and face,and having a bounty of wonderful novelties and useful wares,including: several wooden dolls,drum,woven booties,collection of coin pockets,pin cushions,sewing notions,leather card with ink inscription "Betty Dodd" (illegible) 1829,and a wonderful miniature book that is entirely hand-written in ink "The Kin... Gypsy Book of Fate",signed by B Dodd 1851,with pages of fortune-telling questions and possible answers,followed by Mrs. Dodd's "Advice to new married people". The smaller doll,perhaps representing a young boy entering the tinsmith trade,is laden with a bounty of tinware for sale,as well as tools and bellows for repairing tinware. The two dolls are preserved under a glass dome.