Bisque-headed doll
Armand Marseille Dolls (fl.1885-1950s)
Category
Dolls
Date
Unknown
Materials
Bisque-headed doll
Measurements
320 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 659964
Summary
A bisque-headed doll, made by Armand Marseille. She has a bisque head with open-and-shut brown glass eyes, moulded and painted facial features with an open mouth (four teeth visible) and a light brown mohair wig in a wavy style, with a dark red (shattered) silk ribbon bow in it. The head swivels, and the body, made of composition, is jointed at the shoulders and hips, and there is a nail driven in to each knee. She is wearing a long-sleeved, cream linen dress decorated at the neck, cuffs and hem with narrow lace, which is also used in vertical panels in the front bodice and a horizontal panel near the hem of the full skirt. There is a sash tied round the waist of the dress, made from bright pink paper 'gift' ribbon. Underneath she has a very roughly made cream linen petticoat, which fastens at the back neck with black tape ties. Under this is another rough linen shift-type garment which is gathered at the neck. The doll and her clothes are quite dirty, and her underwear is quite frayed. A piece of card pinned to the doll's dress reads '3. Purchased/ from Banks/ Worcester/ April 66/ [pound sign]4-10'.
Marks and inscriptions
On back of head: Made in Germany/ Aramand Marseille/ 390/ A.4[slash]0M.
Makers and roles
Armand Marseille Dolls (fl.1885-1950s), maker