Bisque-headed doll
Gebrüder Heubach
Category
Dolls
Date
circa 1900 - circa 1920
Materials
Bisque-headed doll, composition, wood, muslin, cotton, flanel, leather, wool and glass.
Measurements
Doll - 550 mm (height sitting), Chemise – 287 mm (length); 352 mm (width), Jacket –365 mm (length), Drawers – 245 mm (length), Petticoat – 460 mm (length), Shoes – 105 mm (length), Socks - 195 mm (length), Bootee -110 mm (length), Dress –530 mm (length), Bonnet - 180 mm (diameter)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 662067
Summary
A bisque-headed doll with a collection of doll’s and child’s clothing. The child’s clothing is part of a trousseau worn by five generations of the Huddleston (donor) family. The doll has open and shut brown glass eyes, moulded and painted facial features. Light brown mohair wig and a composition body, arms and hands. The bent legs and feet are made of wood covered with composition painted a flesh tone. The fingers and toes are delineated with thin red lines. The collection of clothing is as follows; A child's white cotton chemise with seamed slits on the shoulders. This enables a flap to sit over the front of the doll's liberty bodice. The short sleeves are trimmed with white lace. The chemise tucks around the doll under the other clothes. A pink and white ruched, cotton muslin bonnet. The main sections are trimmed with patterned gauze over pink tape. The front and neck are trimmed with frilled lace and two tapes form the fastener. A pair of white, cotton muslin drawers. The waist band is in two sections (front and back) and has four button-holes, one at each end. The legs are trimmed with white lace threaded with peach-pink coloured ribbon. A white quilted-cotton liberty-bodice. It has tape shoulder straps and tapes at the back for fasteners. Two fabric covered buttons are sewn to the waist edge. A cream coloured, flannel waist-petticoat is tacked to the liberty bodice, covering the buttons. The petticoat is gathered into a cotton waist band and has two hems decorated with herring-bone stitch. There are several holes in the flannel. A pair of cream coloured leather shoes with labels marked '0586 left' and '0586 right'. The shoes have straps fastened with white buttons and decorative stitching round the edges, finishing in a tassel at the front. The leather soles have a scalloped edge. A pair of beige coloured, knitted cotton knee socks. They are shaped at the toes and heels and have a rib at the top. Inside each sock is a label marked '0586 left' or '0586 right'. A pair of cream coloured knitted knee socks. They are shaped at the heels and toes and have a ribbed top. There is a triangular pattern of holes on the side of the leg section. A pink coloured woollen crocheted bootee with a scalloped top. It has a crocheted chain drawstring with cream and pink pompoms on the ends which are threaded round the ankle. A white cotton petticoat with a round neck and gathered skirt. A strip of broderie anglaise lace forms the cap sleeves. The same lace is stitched to the hem below four rows of pin tucks. The back opening is fastened by four pieces of tape and peach-pink ribbon is threaded round the neck and waist. The white cotton and lace dress has puffed sleeves and a gathered skirt. The neckline and sleeves are edged with hand made Valenciennes lace. The bodice front is decorated with vertical pin tucks and horizontal strips of lace, bordered by broiderie anglaise. The front panel of the skirt is decorated with horizontal stripes of pin tucks, broderie anglaise, and lace. The hem of the skirt has pin tucks and is edged with scalloped broidery anglaise. There are tape draw- strings at the waist and neckline. A child's cream/white cotton muslin long sleeved jacket. The open front edges, hem, cuffs and collar of the jacket are all trimmed with the Valenciennes lace. The jacket is machine stitched and fastens at the front with two mother-of-pearl buttons. Total number of items is 15.
Provenance
The doll was given to the National Trust as part of the legacy of Miss Caroline Hudleston in 1998. The doll's clothes are part of a baby trousseau worn by five generations of the Hudleston family. A note found with the doll records that she was wearing the christening robe made by Jean Urquhart, Caroline Hudleston's great grandmother, in 1803. Jean had a daughter Harriet who married her cousin George Matthews. The couple sailed to Australia in 1850. The doll's cap was made on the outward voyage. Tragically both of their daughters died in infancy - the children's bodies were hidden in a piano case when Harriet returned to England. They were buried near the family home. The socks and undershirt worn by the doll belonged to Harriet's deceased daughter, Helen.
Marks and inscriptions
Back of neck: 11/ GH/ DEP/ Germany/ 3
Makers and roles
Gebrüder Heubach, maker