Doll

Object Name:

Doll

Object ID:

1968.028

Date:

circa 1880

Description:

Fashion doll. Synthetic head and torso. Blonde hair with some dark base to it where it appears that some of hair pulled out. Where blonde hair, ringlets just beyond ears. Back of forehead slight discoloration to it. Left eye slightly sunken and blank. Right eye in correct location. Both look separate from body but of same material. No color to eyes. No easy rotation to eyes. Colored eyebrows, worn eyelashes, pink lips, nostrils painted in and sculpted. Some marks on face of damages of something pressing into surface. Almost has wax-like feel. Ears sculpted with minor details. Head fixed. Short neck connected to torso. Slight depression on upper torso of supra-sternal notch. Synthetic body extends about to sternum at front and about same elevation at back. Extends higher and goes up to arm level on sides. Pantaloons with fine white cloth. Three sewn-in, horizontal pleats above hem at bottom of leg. Hem 0.4" wide. 0.6" sewn-on band of decorative lace with slightly-scalloped edge. Pantaloons extend 2.5" above floor level. Gathered at waist. Stockings-like material extending upward. Feet in socks with blue criss-cross pattern on inside edge from foot, partway up leg. Blue leather, tall shoe to right foot with brown leather sole and dark brown, shiny heel. Scalloped top edge to shoe. Front of shoe extends upward slightly above sides with brass 6-lobed shape with black bead in center of it. Insides of shoe plain. On bottom of sole, stamped in serrated oval "J. J". Over that, white slip of fine white cloth, with 1" wide hem at bottom. Scalloped edge and lace band sewn to bottom that matches lace on pantaloons. Comes down to same level as pantaloons. Up in there, over pantaloons something with short skirt-like layer which could be a camisole. Petticoat at top of pantaloons, between them and slip extending downward to 1.7" above floor. Bottom hem 1.5" wide with narrow, lacework border with scalloped bottom edge. Simpler than pantaloons and slip. Over that, band of cloth, 3.7" wide, gathered at top slightly and sewn to petticoat so it is open on top edge ~0.4". Narrow hem top edge, and 0.4" down sewn to petticoat body. It then hangs down 3" with 0.6" lacework border with scalloped edge. Lacework same as slip and pantaloons. Narrow hem above lacework border. Petticoat extends downward on back edge ~1" below floor level to trail behind wearer on floor. Long, blue dress with full and many pleats on back. Front rather flat. Front extends 1.5" to floor level. Dress extends 1.7" below on back. Band of gauze with lots of regular, vertical pleats in it on front of dress, ~2.5 wide where it still exists. Quite deteriorated. Wide blue ribbon and bow that hangs down on back where the fullness created by pleats. Height of bow and ribbon ~6". Ribbon 1.3" wide. Light blue versus darker blue of dress. Dress medium blue. Right side of dress, some clusters of deteriorated textile flowers sewn to dress. Diamond-shaped apron on front that hangs down almost to bottom edge of dress. Quite deteriorated. Lighter blue in protective areas. Also, deteriorated textile flowers sewn on right side of dress. Floral groups on either side start at diamond points of apron. Short blouse section over apron. Bottom of blouse extends upwards to neckline, gathered at waist, having half-length, dark blue sleeves attached to blouse at shoulders. Sleeves match blue color in main dress. Apron/blouse buttoned at back with six, very small, Mother-of-Pearl buttons. Some gathers sewn together on edge of wide, vertical pleats on back of dress. Some evidence of discoloration in fabric on back of apron at top. This may have come from possible migration of tentacles from head and body piece. Clear tape to right arm below sleeve holding a kid arm with fractured fingers and thumb. Left arm below sleeve also with tape holding kid arm with four fingers. Floral groups red, white, and green. On inside of dress, gauze like material sewn to it as a liner. Slight discoloration of fabric, similar to that on back surface on front of outer apron. Apron also has small blossom of red and green at top center. Apron with rounded bottom edge with narrow hem.

Material:

Composition
Textile
Mother-of-Pearl

Dimensions:

H-17 W-9 D-3.5 inches

Credit Line:

Gift of Ellinor B. Benedict

People:

Emery, Abbie J. (1870-1941), Benedict, Ellinor B. (1890-1986)

Subjects:

Dolls