19.5" Parian lady fancy hair & shoulders

Antiques : Dolls

 

The quality of workmanship on this gorgeous 1870s lady shoulder head is only matched by her excellent condition. She is un-marked with three holes in back of shoulderplate, two holes in front (third hole filled by decoration). Her steady gaze is hand-painted with blue eyes, black red lid lines, single-stroke café-au-lait brows, lovely blushed cheeks and small slightly smiling mouth. The lady has café-au-lait hair combed straight back into a bun with two big curls. Around the bun is a blue glazed band with raised white dots and gold trimming the edges (the rose in the hair on the right is not original). Her cobalt-glazed porcelain drop earrings may be original. On each shoulder are raised dots along rows of zigzag dark pink and circling the back. Applied china pink lustre pinked-edge ribbon wraps around her neck from center front. An applied scallop and button under a panel of raised dots in lace pattern fill the interior. The bead necklace is also applied and was once gilded. Homemade cloth body with kid leather arms and tiny stump hands, cotton knit stocking and dark brown leather shoe-boots are attached to the legs. This is a most attractive costume of cobalt blue jacquard silk, trimmed in gold metal braid and hand-made bobbin lace (some melting of silk bodice and upper skirt at back). There are silk bows at her elbows and fitted lace gauntlets. *The long seams are machine stitched while finishing is hand-sewn. Underclothing includes chemise, tucked fine petticoat and eyelet-hemmed drawers. This is a very fine lady in a state of remarkable preservation!

Item ID: 273