Special Auction Services
Los 10
Peggy, a very rare and fine 18th century English wooden doll with family provenance, the carved, turned and painted head and torso with inset dark enamel eyes, dotted eyelashes and arched underlined eyebrows, pointed nose, raised painted mouth, slight chin, full jowls, carved ears, original white hair nailed on wig, set in curls around fringe, hair wrapped around head and held by plait, sloping shoulders and full breasts, narrow waist and flat backed, cloth arms nailed to body with carved and painted wooden hands with elongated fingers, white washed hips with gouged out mons pubis, cream and pale blue sack back gown, brown ground floral brocade bodice, green and brown quilted silk petticoat with remains of silver thread trim, muslin sleeve with ruffled cuff and ruffled muslin collar, white quilted petticoat, white, brown and blue stipped petticoat, white cotton petticoat and linen shift and a brocade pin-cushion handing on ribbon from waist —17in. (43cm.) presumed height (missing legs, left hand fingers very well replaced, front of top petticoat perishing, other wear) - this doll comes with a note in an envelope which is addressed Peggy (and in recent hand 1765), the note inside reads ‘This article belonged to Mrs Douch, 7 Hill Street, Walworth, according to parlise been in the family near hundred and twenty years - 1846’ - this takes the provenance back to 1726; but it is more likely that her fashion dates her near the mid 18th century; she was sold originally at Sotheby’s to Kay Desmond for £1250 and comes with a small press clipping and a photograph of Peggy taken by Irene Blair Hickman ‘Doll Photographer’
