RUTH GIBBS VINT STUFFED CLTH BDY/HND PNTD FACE/PORCL'N LIMB GODEY'S FASHION DOLL

Description

RUTH GIBBS
(AME
RI
CAN,
20TH CENTURY)
VINTAGE
STUFFED
CLOTH
BODY/
HAND
PAINTED
FACE,
PORCLAIN
LIMB
DOLL,
with
ORIGINAL
CLOTHES
&
AUBURN
HAIR,
VERSION
of
MID-19TH
CENTURY
GODEY'S
LADY'S
BOOK
PERIODICAL
FASHION
ILLUSTRATIONS
DOLL
[Only some of the doll's original blonde/auburn hair is now missing on the doll's head]
(Circa 1945-1952)
Mid-20th century
American
stuffed cloth body, with porcelain head & appendages, children's dolls & period doll clothing
DIMENSIONS:
8 3⁄4" Height x
3 1⁄4" Width (arms)
x 1
3⁄4" Depth
Weight:
5 oz.
DESCRIPTION:
Offered is this
mid 20th century
Ruth Gibbs
(Flemington, New Jersey)
Ame
ri
can
-made, post-WWII, vintage,
hand painted porcelain head, shoulder and lower appendage, stuffed cloth body doll,
complete with original, reproduced mid-
19th century
patrician female clothes, recently discovered in a southern
New Hampshire
estate. The doll was a production line
'Godey's Little Lady's Dolls,'
fashioned after the
mid 19th century
Ame
ri
can
antique periodical
'Godey's Lady's Book'
fashion illustrations, which was the
'Vogue'
of its time, captivating and mesmerizing the newly emerging
mid-19th century
Ame
ri
can
urban middle class and 'ladies of means,' with their publication of the newest fashion trends from
Europe
(mostly
London
and
Paris.)
The surface of the porcelain is glazed, providing a semi-reflective ceramic finish. The face of the female doll is hand painted, with pronounced eye lashes and bright blue eyes, applied cheek rouge and bright, red-orange articulated lips. The inside corners of the eyes, as well as the two nostrils of the doll's nose, are accentuated with noticeable dots of red-orange, the same as was used to paint the doll's lips. The curly blonde hair is nearly complete on both sides of the doll's head but has some loss of hair up from the left forehead and toward the apex of the head. The hair's woven cloth skirt's (fabric underlayment) is now somewhat split and fractured but still largely intact and still affixed to the head. The cloth body is stuffed and the shoes are gilt gold slip painted. There's a faint stamped maker's mark
'RG'
found on the back of the ceramic shoulders of the figure. Absolutely lovely and nearly completely intact, as if left by its previous young
post WWII, mid-20th century
Ame
ri
can
owner, wrapped in linen and safely put away in a hat box in a chest of drawers, for future generations to have the privilege of seeing the little girl's prized possession, once again. Imbued with narrative and a wonderful
post-WWII
Ame
ri
can
cultural artifact.
Very nicely preserved and well-cared for by successive, generational custodians. Splendid.
CONDITION:
Good to Very Good overall antique condition.