Automaton
Category
Toys
Date
Unknown
Materials
Bisque, wood and fabric
Measurements
Bed - 258 mm (length); 148 mm (width); 168 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 668425
Summary
An automaton of a bisque headed doll in a bed. The doll has moulded and painted features, the eyes are blue and open and close. She has a brown curly hair wig that looks as if it was astrakhan fabric. The body is made of wood and houses strings. The arms are short and one feels as if it were made of rolled paper. The legs are composition from the knees down. She is wearing a long sleeved shirt and trousers made of some coarse fabric, possibly curtaining. She lies on a bamboo bedstead with a padded pink and white eiderdown, a green bottom sheet and a green pillow. One leg of the bedstead is missing and there are two pieces of wood which could be the spare leg. From the right of the bed are three cords with beads on the ends. If pulled one makes the doll sit up in bed and two made a squeaking noise. The bottom of the bed has a flat piece of wood with seventeen worm holes. This object seems half manufactured and half home made. Total number of items is 5.
Provenance
Donated to the Museum of Childhood by Mrs E. B. Castle in September 1986.
Marks and inscriptions
On the back of the head: 'Made in Germany'