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Nelling, Inc.
E a r l y D o l l s
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Early Paper Mache 23" |
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with Special Provenance $1,850. |
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Another outstanding paper mache doll from the Sherryl Shirran collection, we have an 1840's girl with physical provenance from the family right on her shoulder plate! Obvious are her pupil-less dark enamel eyes, early center-parted long, painted black hair with cascading molded ringlets, rare exposed ears, and pale, original complexion. Her original body is of stitch-jointed stuffed muslin, her arms and hands are of brown leather, and her feet are built-on, blue leather boots that have some wear to the paint surface. |
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What you can't see unless you look with a magnifying glass are the three family member names etched with a fine sharp tool on the front of the shoulder plate. They read, Amanda Cooke, Sallie Cooke, and John M Cooke. They remain there like a permanent, secret link to her family history. So special for the early collector. |
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German Wax Over Composition Motchsman Doll $950. |
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For some collectors, the early baby is a magical category all its own, where numerous mediums have been used to depict the history of the infant doll. This outstanding example (16") has an impeccable delicate layer of wax over a composition head, with cornflower blue enamel eyes, gentle decoration and shading of facial features, nicely molded ears, and strategically painted wisps of hair on the head. The wax covered head swivels on a pale, molded composition shoulder plate, whose material and surface is repeated at the hips, lower arms, lower legs and jointed hands and feet. These sections of the body are attached with stuffed linen fabric that provides a special softness of movement. |
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This is the style of body labeled taufling which was first seen in ancient Asian dolls ad was adopted by doll manufacturers of the mid-19th century in Germany and France, such as Motschman and Steiner. They continued to be an inspiration into the late 1800's. The historical importance of this doll in a collection does not stop with the ingenious head and body type. It is wearing its original, white cotton infant clothing and swaddling in its original white padded bunting, with rows of ruffled eyelet trim and closing in the front with double bow ties. So complete and tidy, and topped off with a simple, white cotton bonnet. Faint, short, minute line in wax on upper right eyelid. LW |
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Petite Early Wax Child $650. |
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What a dear little wax doll (61/2") to hold in your hand for a close look at her toddler-like, full face with realistically painted blue eyes, a semi-smiling closed mouth and remnants of her fine eyebrows on her pale wax complexion. The passage of time and handling has caused some surface rubs and abrasions on her chubby face. She has a wig of fine blond human hair in tiny curls, and her one-piece head and shoulder plate is mounted on a firm cloth body, jointed with stitching at the shoulders and hips, and having wax lower arms and legs. Her light-weight peach dress of antique wool has a matching bonnet with an unruly tassel-like trim and she wears snugly-fitting white leather slippers with tiny pearl buckles. |
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Dollhouse "Alien Head" 5 1/4" |
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Wooden and Paper Mache $895. |
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With this petite German paper mache head having a jointed Grodnertal-like wooden body, it is known as an “Alien Head”. She is more rare as she is an earlier paper mache, introduced during the transition from the age of German wooden dolls. The original finish of her head and shoulders has typical surface cracks that with the naked eye are not as noticeable as with the camera close-ups. Her silk costume with metallic paper trim is all original and is of the 1840's period, as is her centerparted hairdo with pulled back bun. |
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Highly Decorated Parian 18" |
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Fancy Hairdo and Pierced Ears $1,695. |
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The added color in the molded shoulder plate of this 1870 parian lady is an unexpected detail that plays off her muted costume of plaid brown and black tones. She has white parian bisque with blue painted eyes with eyelids highlighted in red, a pursed red mouth, elongated nose, pierced ears and a blond molded head full of separated curls and waves. |
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The colorful shoulder plate is decorated with a neat, white molded blouse, a ruffled and glazed pink trimmed collar, tied up with a blue glazed bow edged in gold at the center of the neck, with collar detail continuing on to the back. Her original body is of linen cloth with white kid leather, cotton-stuffed arms, one of which is quite split at the seams. Her finely made antique dress of the late 1860's is of a brown and black plaid silk which is quite sturdy and she has lovely, layered antique undergarments and antique leather slippers. |
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Early Continental Doll 27" |
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Composite over Wood $6,950. |
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As with many early dolls from the European continent, this intriguing wooden female most probably started out as a creche or religious figure and with some style and grooming changes over the centuries, now stands as a refined lady. She looks to be French from the late 18th century with a very expressive face having enamel eyes, character features, and detailed molding of facial structure and ears. Her antique long, mohair wig is an addition and not original, covered by an antique lace mob cap.. |
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| Head and shoulder are stationary and the material is a wood/paper/gesso composite over a layer of carved wood underneath. The cloth upper arms are jointed at the shoulder and are composite from the elbow to the hands. The rest of the body is wood with a painted gesso surface jointed at the hips and knees, painted white stockings and cared footwear. The doll cannot reach a full sitting position as the jointing is stiff. Her undergarments are antique with the pantaloons actually looking as old as she is, however the dress is made in the 21st century with old fabrics. Her face has had professional, conservative touch up to retain her stately and regal presence. |
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Eighteenth Century Wooden Doll, in Paper Covered Wood Presentation Box ON LAYAWAY |
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Embedded in a circular antique wooden box that is covered in primitive wallpaper is a 6 1/2” carved wooden doll that is surrounded by an organic floral splay of natural fibers, paper flowers and petite wood creatures. The diameter of the box is 12” and the whole presentation looks like it served as a greeting or gift showing love, friendship or appreciation. The figure has a painted, carved head bearing a smiling expression, with the arms of bent wire, forearms of metal and hands, body and legs of wood. |
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Just like the fine cotton fibers creating the foundation or “mattress” inside the box, so is her full head of hair, however it is died a vibrant auburn color. The same fibers adorn her silk gown and she has a fabric, drawstring purse that matches her short cape. Attached all around her are various representations of nature made of natural materials, such as shapes of seashells, blossoms, cones, some actual bird feathers and intricately created paper floral details. |
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There are also tiny, painted wood garden creatures intermingled into the canvas of curiosities. The piece is probably a Continental piece, definitely something not rarely discovered and a treasure for an early doll collector. It can be supported and displayed on a wooden plate-holder.
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Incredible Motschmann Baby with Provenanc SOLD |
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For collectors and lovers of early paper mache dolls, the so-called Motschmann baby is a category of study all its own. Charles Motschmann was an early European dollmaker who was inspired by the Japanese jointed paper mache babies introduced at the London World Exhibit in 1851, however similar adaptations followed and even Jules Steiner adopted the unique construction idea for some of his early bebes and mechanical dolls. This particular 23" doll, from the Sherryl Shirran collection, is an outstanding example, starting with it’s important size of 23”, its highly detailed original presentation, and the letter of provenance that remains attached to the doll from early owners. It has enamel eyes, a closed mouth, a floating swivel head with closed dome and finely brushed locks of baby hair painted on the sided and back of the head. |
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There is a paper mache shoulder plate mounted on a cloth covered, wire-framed torso, continued by what are called “floating” paper mache hips where the legs are attached. There, the cloth jointing is continued to connect to the paper mache legs that are swived jointed at the knees and ankles. This same construction style is applied for the arms as well, where a segment of cloth starts at the shoulder, to soon connect to the paper mache arms that swivel at the wrist where the plumb hands are attached. |
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English Wooden Maiden 16" |
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with Embroidered Family Ties SOLD |
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Dating
from the 1790’s comes this charming English wooden doll with a story told by
her original, humble garments.
Her clothing’s deep tones of worn purple and green silk are still sewn to
her carved wood body and an unexpected apron of woven dark wool is tied
around her waist. She has layers
of cotton undergarments that reveal a stitched monogram of the letters “M L”
on the slip, and the soft feel of embroidered cotton trim is found again,
peeking out from the edges of her fragile, time-flattened silk bonnet.
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Her
George III era construction is seen on her simply carved head and attached
torso, however she does have dark enamel eyes and her original paint with
some dings and wear from her playtime history.
As seen in the photos, her head is plain with not much detail and
lacks a wig of any kind under the bonnet.
Her arms are of stuffed cloth with tiny leather hands having separate
but frail finders. Her carved
wooden legs are jointed at the hips and knees and her feet are carved blue
painted shoes. She has had a
long journey, all the while being taken care of over the ages and she
welcomes more history to experience. |
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Early Tuck Comb 12 1/2" |
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Grodnertal Wooden in Box LOST BY USPS - GONE |
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Reclining in her bent wood container, this endearing Grodnertal wooden doll looks quite comfortable and very well preserved. She has a yellow painted tuck comb, black hair trimmed with spiraled wisps of bangs around the forehead, an egg shaped head with all her little painted features placed on the bottom half of her face, typical of these early girls. Only her nose has some restoration and there are only spots of wear to her fair complexion, while she retains her blushed cheeks and pierced earrings. Her expression is unusually sweet! |
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Her body is completely of wood, jointed at shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, for full articulation, both her lower arms and legs have finished surfaces, and she has the signature cadmium red painted slippers. Her clothing is completely original to her 1820's time of production, and consists of a sheer, light lavender on white cotton print dress, with highly puffed upper sleeves that made fashion news around this time. In addition, her delicate muslin cotton slip and pantaloons are original and all clothing is in very nice condition. |
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more Early dolls back to page 1
Post Office Box 4327 n Burbank, CA 91503
Cell (818) 738-4591 n Home Phone (818) 562-7839
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