Composition-headed doll
Category
Dolls
Date
circa 1890
Materials
Composition-headed doll, wood, wire, paper, textiles
Measurements
615 mm (height)
Place of origin
France
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 659740
Summary
A composition headed doll of Punch. The facial features are moulded and painted. It has blue, glass insert eyes. There are painted eyelashes, eyebrows, and furrows on the forehead. It has short white, cotton wool hair. The chest is of carved wood and has a hunch back and paunch stomach. The lower body is stuffed with wood shavings. The upper legs are also stuffed with wood shavings and the lower legs and feet are of painted compostion. The upper arms are of wire which passes through the body and allows the arms to rotate. The lower arms and hands are carved wood, the arms padded out and the hands painted. The clothes, which in places also form the doll, are in red and white glazed cotton. The quartered red and white jacket has lace ruff and and cuffs. It is decorated with gold-coloured embossed card strips down the front, round the waist and sleeves. The skirt of the jacket is hemmed with a metal fringed braid. The half red and white knee length trousers, which form the legs of the doll, have lace at the leg edge and 3 bands of the same embossed tape round each leg. White painted stockings and orange painted pointed shoes with pink ribbon bows. The red pointed hat has the red and white brim fastened up to form a mitre type hat. It is decorated with the gold-coloured embossed card strips and metal fringing. At the top is a wire loop which passes through the hat and into the head. Tied to various parts of the doll are 14 light brown labels Each with a light hearted message in a different style of writing. The position and type of message is as follows - Top of hat - a comical verse on the 'thou shall not' theme and a verse 'Advice to Girls'. Brim of hat - a ditty on love and one on men. At the neck - a saying on being 21 from 'Tiny'. Tied to wrists - 'My toast' written by Judy and a tongue-twisting verse. At waist - a verse entitled 'What is a kiss?' a light hearted apology from 'Polly'. Top of leg - a humorous verse on walking on the street. At the knees - 'A recipe' for getting a kiss in a lane. A birthday wish ending with 'So herewith I send you a 'Punch'. Round the ankles - a light hearted warning against kissing and a marriage proposal signed 'Yours for ever Punch'.