- Estimate
- $28,000 / $35,000
Gold Horse Listing29" (74 cm.) Bisque socket head with very full cheeks, large blue glass paperweight inset eyes, dark eyeliner, painted lashes, mauve blushed eyeshadow, brushstroked shaded brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth with defined space between the shaded lips suggesting teeth, impressed philtrum and chin dimples, pierced ears, blonde mohair wig over cork pate, French composition and wooden fully-jointed plump French body, straight wrists, lovely antique costume. Condition: generally excellent, original body and body finish. Marks: Paris SL 13. Comments: Louis Schneider, circa 1885; his boutique firm commissioned bisque heads from the Gaultier porcelain firm according to Gaultier inventory records, although few dolls bearing the S.L. initials are known to exist today. Value Points: the rarity of the bebe is rivaled by its exemplary beauty and quality; the larger size indicates presentation for a luxury market. The doll is featured in the book, The Rose Unfolds, by Rosalie Whyel and Susan Hedrick, pages 102/103.
Stuart's Take
Grand. Beautiful. And in theory rarer than an A.T. or H. This doll was originally sold by Theriault's to Rosalie in the 1980's. Since then we have never encountered another, which puts into perspective how few are in the world today.