Vivienne
Fashion Doll
1885-1886 (made)
1885-1886 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Doll. Fine bisque head with fixed glass eyes. Tightly curled mohair wig. Pierced ears (no earrings). Ball-jointed strung composition body.
Dressed in a silk satin formal day dress in gold and peacock blue, trimmed with deep blue silk velvet. Fully lined in white cotton. Large bustle. White lace at neck and wrists. Dress fastens in back with embroidered buttons. Smocking at yoke, bodice and cuffs. Leather shoes and crochet socks, some white cotton underwear. Doll was originally mounted/sewn to a padded cushion and had her shoes pasted to a cardboard base for display purposes; this has since been reverted by Conservation.
Dressed in a silk satin formal day dress in gold and peacock blue, trimmed with deep blue silk velvet. Fully lined in white cotton. Large bustle. White lace at neck and wrists. Dress fastens in back with embroidered buttons. Smocking at yoke, bodice and cuffs. Leather shoes and crochet socks, some white cotton underwear. Doll was originally mounted/sewn to a padded cushion and had her shoes pasted to a cardboard base for display purposes; this has since been reverted by Conservation.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Vivienne (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | bisque head; composition body, silk satin and velvet dress |
| Brief description | Doll with bisque head, composition body, and mohair wig; France; 1885-1886. |
| Physical description | Doll. Fine bisque head with fixed glass eyes. Tightly curled mohair wig. Pierced ears (no earrings). Ball-jointed strung composition body. Dressed in a silk satin formal day dress in gold and peacock blue, trimmed with deep blue silk velvet. Fully lined in white cotton. Large bustle. White lace at neck and wrists. Dress fastens in back with embroidered buttons. Smocking at yoke, bodice and cuffs. Leather shoes and crochet socks, some white cotton underwear. Doll was originally mounted/sewn to a padded cushion and had her shoes pasted to a cardboard base for display purposes; this has since been reverted by Conservation. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 3 (Impressed on back of head.) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Latter Axton |
| Object history | This particular doll is wearing a dress called "Vivienne". Registered File no. 1930/7117. |
| Historical context | Mrs Latter Axton was a "designer of styles" to Messrs Marshall & Snelgrove. This doll is part of a group of 13 which was donated by her to the V&A in 1930. Some of the outfits represent dresses which were made especially for Queen Victoria as presents for her grandchildren by the Duke of Edinburgh (the princesses Marie (later Queen of Roumania), Melita (Grand Duchess Cyril of Russia) and Beatrice (Princesse d'Orleans-Bourbon of Spain). Other dolls in the series wear ensembles described as "The Lautry", "The Jersey", and "The Smock". Out of the 13 dolls originally donated, only 7 appear to now be extant, the other 6 are now held by the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood. |
| Production | The head of this doll may be by Francois Gautier. It is certainly a high end French head. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.137-1930 |
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| Record created | August 23, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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