SOLD Early Papier Mache Voit Type Lady All Original Superior Condition

Dolls : Antique : Papier Mache

 

Final Offering Sale Price ~ All original circa 1840s papier mache lady doll in diminutive 8” cabinet size.

This type doll is often referred to as French due to the pink kid bodies with straight legs, and regional costumes. The heads were actually made by Andreas Voit in Germany and then supplied to French doll makers who assembled the dolls and dressed them.

This doll is in superior condition of head and body, with no facial crazing and only very light scratches and wear which are barely there. We’ve shown magnified close-ups to show the superior condition of the doll. She has painted features including dark blue eyes, fine eyebrows, lash lines, nostril accents and painted lips. Her hair is painted black and has wisps of hair painted around the hairline all around.

Her French kid body has mitten type hands and straight legs with back seams. We have shown a photo up the skirt to show the excellent condition.

She retains her original French Regional costume with headdress, silver color earrings (attached to the head piece), shawl wrap over bodice with gold color cross pendant, red wool skirt over blue and white striped flannel skirt, over cotton slip. Her netting and needle lace apron is quite disintegrated in the center, while the edging lace is darkened, but still strong. She retains her original stockings that are pinned on, and tiny little silk taffeta shoes with paper soles.

Condition: Excellent; the head with only light surface wear and no crazing (absolutely no re-paint or touch-up of any kind); the body with only minor wear to the hands and minor age darkening; the original costume with age darkening and deterioration of the apron center only.

As a further note, it should be mentioned that we have not undressed the doll because we wanted to preserve her original costume and the overall integrity of the doll, which has obviously never been altered in any way. The costume is stitched on and tacked on as was the norm in the making and dressing of these dolls. We have inspected in and around the garments as best we could and have found no indication that the clothing has ever been removed.

Excellent little Early Voit lady doll in a diminutive size, ready to display in your collection.

Item ID: PM-JA708

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For more information see: pg 649 'The Encyclopedia of French Dolls' by Francois & Danielle Theimer.