Wax-Over Shoulder Head Character Doll

Name: Wax-Over Shoulder Head Character Doll

Made by and When: Unknown maker, circa 1940s or prior

Material: Wax over other materials (possibly tin for the head and composition for the limbs), glass eyes; brown cloth covers the shoulder head, the straw-stuffed upper arms, upper legs, and the body.

Marks: Indiscernible letters are on the lower head

Height: 14 inches

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Intricately sculpted, previously painted black curls (the black is visible in only a few areas) that form a widow’s peak hairline, inset brown glass eyes with partially visible eyebrows, has an open/closed mouth with painted red lips with four upper and four lower sculpted and painted teeth

Clothes: The black and white check romper, piped in dark red at the neck, sleeves, and legs, has a matching belt, and appears to have been made for the doll. “I love you” is inscribed on the gold-tone heart pendant sewn to the center of the neckline. Black knit arm cuffs and matching full-length socks were added by the curator to cover the strings that connect the straw-stuffed cloth upper arms and upper legs to the wax lower arms and lower legs.

Other: This handsome character boy is a fine example of a wax-over (an unknown material) shoulder head doll with ethnically correct facial features. Possible materials underneath the wax are tin for the head and composition for the limbs. The doll was quite possibly made in Europe by an independent doll artist during the 1940s or earlier.

Gallery

The last gallery photo illustrates the appearance of the artist’s or maker’s indiscernible hallmark at the base of the head.

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