Bisque-headed doll
Armand Marseille Dolls (fl.1885-1950s)
Category
Dolls
Date
circa 1890
Materials
Bisque-headed doll, metal, glass, leather, textiles
Measurements
250 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 659733
Summary
A bisque-headed Floradora doll made by Armand Marseille, with a clockwork horse and cart made by Roullet & Decamps. Open and shut brown glass eyes. Open mouth with teeth. Real brown hair wig. Composition body, arms and hands Wooden legs and feet. The arms are jointed at the shoulder, elbow and wrist. The legs are jointed at the hips and knees. Wearing a dirty cream lace and net dress with embroidered hem. Pink and green ribbon rose buds are sewn onto the dress. Cream fabric outer petticoat trimmed with a broad cream ribbon at the hem. Cream cotton underpetticoat with a scalloped edge and matching knickers. Wearing a cream net mob cap decorated with embroidery, pink ribbons, pink and green ribbon rosebuds. Pink ribbon bows in her hair. Cream velvet shoes with brown leather soles. Attatched to her right hand is a wood and string whip. Around the top and bottom of which is wound copper wire. A wood or metal skin covered horse attached to a wooden cart by two metal hooks, one in each wooden shaft. The horse has glass eyes, an open mouth and black painted metal hooves. Inserted into the belly of the horse is a metal clockwork key. The horse has leather reins with metal inside its mouth. Some of these reins are broken. The cart is wood with an open front and back. Three parallel pieces of wood form the sides. In the middle is a wooden seat, attached to an upright middle strut. The cart has two spoked metal wheels. Attached to one of the struts is an empty leather pouch. A handwritten paper label underneath the cart reads 'Volu [fites]' in blue ink. The label on the box refers to a clockwork bucking horse. Total number of items is two
Marks and inscriptions
Back of doll's neck: Floradora // A 9/O/ M.
Makers and roles
Armand Marseille Dolls (fl.1885-1950s), maker Roullet & Decamps, manufacturer