Onsite
Highest Bidder
$14,500
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
- Estimate
- $18,000 / $25,000
Description
15" (38 cm.) One-piece wooden head and torso with ebony black painted complexion, oval shaped face and elongated throat, shapely bosom and waist, flat back, black glass enamel inset eyes, tinted brows, closed tiny mouth, black fleeced wig, cloth upper arms, wooden lower arms, wooden legs with simple jointing at hips and knees. Condition: generally excellent, possible repair to hands. Comments: English, late 1700s, according to an article "A Very Exotic Queen Anne-Type Doll" by Dorothy Hill in Doll News, Summer, 1993, the doll was once owned by Betty Cadbury and displayed in her Birmingham England museum "Playthings Past". Value Points: the compelling doll with proud presence has very fine original patina of painting, and is wearing her original costume comprising turban and robe of cream latticed silk, rose silk skirt, ivory silk harem pants, rose silk slippers.
Stuart's Take
While we often associate a fascination with the exotic variations of dolls within those of French production during the 19th century, we seldom ever see English examples surface from the 18th century. Nevertheless, it was a time that did see colonization starting its peak with first exposure to many cultures around the world. See the Crees Indian versions offered on Day One as another example. While doubtful these were made with any sort of commercial expectations at the time (thus so rare) they do illustrate the growing convergence of cultures within Europe during the earliest periods of global exploration. A truly important doll as a result.