Fabric doll
Lenci
Category
Dolls
Date
1920 - 1929
Materials
Fabric doll
Measurements
555 mm (height)
Place of origin
Turin
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 661638
Summary
A 1920s 'Lenci' doll named 'Chloe' with a moulded face and painted facial details and brown painted eyes. The doll was given to the donor Mrs Virginia Sainty when she was five or six years old. The donor writes - 'I was given 'Chloe' by my mother in 1923 or 4 when I was five or six. She was beautifully dressed with a hat with felt flowers, a blue jacket and dress and I think shoes. I dressed and undressed her so often they fell to pieces! I think my mother brought her home from Italy or Paris.' The 'Lenci doll' was given to Virginia at the same time as 'Pricella' and 'Uncle Bruin' (inventory numbers 661637 and 671303) was given to her sister Elizabeth. The donor writes - 'I was given 'Chloe' but found her stiff and not very lovable.' All of her, except her right arm and right thumb, is covered in flesh coloured felt. The right arm is covered in flesh coloured fabric. The toes are defined by stitching. She has blonde mohair curly hair. She is wearing a turquoise green-blue seersucker dress with a matching sash tied in a bow at the back. On her head is a white cotton bonnet trimmed with white lace and lace with pink ribbon insertion. The bonnet is tied under her chin with a pink satin ribbon. Under her dress is a fine knitted cream vest, possibly cotton, with moth holes. She has moth holes in her felt legs and right, fabric covered, arm.
Makers and roles
Lenci , maker