Nelling, Inc.
E a r l y D o l l s
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Continental Wooden 25 1/2" |
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Early-Mid 1700's $24,500. |
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Probably from France or Belgium, this Continental beauty surpasses all expectations when it comes to breaking down the components of the early wooden doll. The front view of her face characterizes a gentle and wise young woman, that when turned to a profile view suddenly becomes a strong and complex persona. One that is most definitely European and almost Roman goddess-like. |
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Her gray-green eyes, although painted, are so intricately and realistically detailed that they take on an "enameled" look. To save the carver on cost, the dolls made on the Continent rarely had glass or enamel eyes, but the rich artistry used to achieve their human quality more than made up for the more organic medium used. |
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Her complexion, stabilized with some touch-up and protective coat of light varnish is pale with softly blushed cheeks, and her wig of long ringlets has the quality of early flax. the dome of her head is painted with a circular black "cap" and she has beautifully carved ears. |
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| Of particular interest, and what makes this doll so distinct, is the elaborately carved and finished jointed wooden ody, right down to the carved buckled and heeled shoes. The shapely torso with slim waist is painted with a coat of original dark teal paint. The hinged and jointed arms leave the wood exposed, except for the oversized and expressive hands, and the knees to lower legs, which have the same pale tone of the face, neck and collar area. Her silk costume's sun-kissed color scheme of yellows and golds appears to be of fabric from her era, some of which could be original. The corseted bodice section supports her snugly from with sewn-in stays while her undergarments are an endearing combo of a frilly long camisole with detachable sleeves, tucked into a heavy half-skirt of pale pinstripes with a matching pocket pouch that ties around the waist. Pivoting joints enable virtually unlimited posing positions for this important doll and piece of history |
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Taufling Body China 15" |
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Rare Large Size $7250. |
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An already rare doll, the Taufling, or Motchsman body child china becomes almost a fantasy in this larger than large size of 15". And what's more is the hard to find "Alice" hairdo, making her a museum piece indeed. Her near-white china continues from her rounded, youthful head, flange neck, lower arms with lovely detailed fingers to her lower legs with realistically molded calves. Then come her china feet that are molded black boots. At her left temple runs a very fine line that is very difficult to see and is so faint it may be inherent in the china. |
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Her hair, once gold-luster hairband, shy facial painting and shading are neat and understated. Her shoulderplate and hip section are of paper mache, with the original, cotton-filled linen joints providing ample movement. There is wear and soiling to these fabric sections, which is to be expected after over 175 years of handling, so there are areas that are fragile or restitched. Her cotton undergarments, that have some later dated provenance pinned on, and her simple and fine cotton wool dress are accessorized with a beaded shoulder bag that respectfully remains from when she was acquired. |
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English Wooden 21 1/2" |
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Carved Ears ON LAYAWAY |
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With a positive presence, this English, King George III wooden lady sits or stands contently to tell us of her journey though the ages, with her well carved profile and facial features dating her to the 1760's, but no later as her highly detailed ear carving suggests a recent transition from the more intricate examples of the mid 18th century. She has the typical black, pupil-less enamel eyes, dotted eyebrows, tight-lipped smile and rosy mooned cheeks. Her chestnut hair seems to be of smooth flax fibers. Her exposed areas have been stabilized with a varnish to protect her original finish and expected touch-ups for a doll of this period in history. |
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Her all wood body consists of a one-piece, head and torso with fully jointed, hand-carved arms and legs that allow for any type pose. Her appropriate costume is made from antique fabrics and trim that portray the style and class that she represented at her period in time. She has and antique, hooped petticoat to facilitate her bold silhouette, and an antique shawl and cap in soft cotton and lace. Her heeled, leather slippers are not antique, but very smart. |
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Rare China 15 3/4" |
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Conta & Bohme ON LAYAWAY. |
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In the 1870's, china dolls were either the fashion makers or fashion models of the intricate bun hairstyles of the day, this one being attributed to Conta & Bohme. Her black molded "do" features a gathered, wrapped, and tailed rear bun, with sweeping locks of abundantly molded hair up to the front and uniquely styled bangs and hair brush strokes across the forehead. |
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She has pierced ears with what look to be original jet earrings, and very lifelike and "knowing" expression to her face. Her soft blue painted eyes are magnified by he cornflower blue trim of her antique walking suit in a wheat-colored silk blend. Even her under slip has a train to support the abundant rear structure of the flowing skirt. |
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Found on several varying body types, this young lady as a firm leather body with gussetted elbows, straight legs, and separated stitched fingers (some wear and soil to hands). Her undergarments are all antique as are her worn leather boots. She serves as an interesting crossover example between your German and French, china and fashion doll displays. |
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Wood Body Paper Mache $1650. |
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Due to the unusual combination of mediums in the materials she is made from, this doll is known to properly be call the "Alien Head". She has the paper mache shoulder head with molded hair in the 1840's style, but her fully jointed wood body is a transitional style from the previous decades. Her pale complexion and black hair, having covered ears and a rear bun is quite striking, and from regular age, there are some surface cracks to the paint on the head and shoulder area. Her wonderful, fully jointed wood body is covered under her never removed, lace and chint original dress, with a feminine, oversized lace collar. Her lower arms and legs have the original paint and her feet are molded slipper panted cadmium red/orange. |
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Schilling Paper Mache $395. |
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| A German paper mache child (9 1/2") with ethereal beauty, having icy blue glass eyes, fair complexion, closed mouth, and original presentation from head to toe. Her dramatic regional costume of Switzerland is multi-layered and in very nice condition, with some fading to her once tomato red apron. She has a wonderful original blond mohair wig features two waist length braids and her stuffed, cloth body has lovely paper mache lower arms and legs that match the pale tint of her shoulderhead. A little jewel of a doll. |
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Royal Portrait in Wax 11 1/2" |
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Circa 1740. $3250. |
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Probably a depiction of a royal figure or lady of rank in the mid-eighteenth century France, this wax doll mounted on her original wooden platform defies time in its obviously "ancient", but impressive and untouched condition. Her head, shoulder and chest are all one piece of molded wax, she has dark, pupil-less enamel eyes and her inserted hair seems to be ringlets of horse-hair only one of which is fully intact. There is wax loss around her eyes and expected cracking from the outward |
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Her body is cloth over wire armature and her hands of molded wax peak out from her extravagant costume of silks, gilt trims, starched lace and a series of glass pearls that adorn both the garland that she holds and her crown of formed metallic trimmings. Her skirt width portrays her importance with the silhouette performed by the use of farthingales and abundant fabric. She even retains her petticoat and some early pins that are lodged in and around her costume to hold things in place. Lastly, trailing behind her is her original, chocolate silk train with a cream linen edging that may have been once covered with decoration. A dome would be a perfect home for her. |
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more Early Dolls go to page 2
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