#214

German Bisque Chinese Baby by Kestner Gifted to Shirley Temple on Her 1935 Visit to Hawaii
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Live Auction

Su****4k
$4,750
sold
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Estimate
$2,500 / $3,500
Description
13" (33 cm.) Amber-tinted bisque socket head, small brown glass sleep eyes, painted features with black feathered brows, two porcelain upper teeth, open mouth, original black human hair queue, amber-tinted composition baby body, wearing original Chinese costume with elaborate silk appliques and borders, including slippers and pom-pom trimmed headdress. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: F made in Germany 10 243 JDK, made in Germany. Comments: Kestner, circa 1912. Included with the doll is a photograph of Shirley Temple on her family Hawaiian trip of 1935 alongside this doll. More than 20,000 people thronged the seaport to welcome Shirley; she was named "Hawaii's Adopted Sweetheart", and bestowed with hundreds of doll gifts, of which this is one example. As the doll was 25 years old at the time of its gifting to Shirley Temple, it was likely a cherished heirloom of a Chinese-Hawaiian family, bestowed with great honor on the young actress. Ex-Collection Love Shirley Temple.