Very Rare Early English Wooden Doll with Brass Walking Mechanism

14 Watching

Live Auction

18" (46 cm.) Carved wooden swivel head with original painted brown complexion, black enamel inset eyes, black single stroke brows, closed mouth with thin line of lips, blush spots on cheeks, brunette hair adhered to pate, wooden torso and upper arms, jointed lower arms, ivory hands with separately carved fingers. The torso is attached in very heavy cast brass frame which encloses the cast brass mechanism, all of which is hidden under her original costume. When wound, the doll walks in circles, her head turns from side to side, and arms move to and fro. Condition: generally excellent, mechanism functions. Comments: English, mid-1700s. Value Points: important doll, not only for its rare brown complexion, but also for its completely original costume, and intricate mechanism. Automata from this era are extremely rare to find, especially given the intricacy of this example. The doll is featured in the book The Rose Unfold by Rosalie Whyel and Susan Hedrick, pages 64-65, noting it is perhaps "the only surviving example of these very early walking dolls" and for years had resided in the celebrated collection of Gladys Hilsdorf before being acquired by the Museum.