18th Century French Wooden Court Doll in Original Costume

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14" (36 cm.) Carved wooden shoulderhead, lower torso and limbs, firmly-stuffed flower-printed toile midriff, sexed figure of man, carved hair with rolled curls at sides of head forming into small tail at back nape, carved and painted facial features, thick gray brows, outlined blue eyes, painted black shoes with red buckles. Condition: generally excellent, age fading of paint. Comments: from the series of French court dolls, circa 1780, representing figures of the royal French court. The doll is shown in the Francois Theimer book, Les Poupees Royale, page 125, and the author suggests the doll may represent Charles Boehmer, jeweler of the court, who featured in the scandalous Affair of the Diamond Necklace. Value Points: unique doll with original body, wearing original silk striped ensemble and ivory silk vest with tiny embroidered flowers.