Mid-19th Century Rare Rubber Head Doll with Distinctive Coiffure

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18" (46 cm.) Rubber shoulderhead with painted glazed finish, black sculpted hair in center part with unique wide braids drawn around sides of face, criss-crossed at the back of head and captured by two large painted flowers, black painted eyes, painted lower lashes only, single stroke brows, closed mouth, cloth stitch-jointed body, kid arms, nicely costumed (and additional costume included). Condition: very good, typical light crazing lines on complexion. Comments: mid-1800s, the invention of vulcanizing rubber led dollmakers in France, Germany and America to explore its use in doll making, but few examples remain today, and their specific makers remain a mystery. Value Points: very rare doll with outstanding and very unusual coiffure.