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Lord Clapham

Doll
1690-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This doll, known as Lord Clapham, is thought to have belonged to the Cockerell family, descendants of the diarist Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). The daughter of Pepys's nephew John Jackson (the son of his sister Pauline) married a Cockerell, who had a family home in Clapham, south London.

Designs & Designing
Lord Clapham offers a fine example of both formal and informal dress for a gentleman in the 1690s. His formal outfit includes a coat, waistcoat and breeches, while his informal dress is represented by the nightgown. Accessories such as the stockings, stock (a form of stiff, close-fitting neckcloth) and gloves are very valuable since very few items from this early period survive in museum collections. Equally important is the demonstration of how these clothes were worn together.

Ownership & Use
Dolls were widely produced in the 17th century, although very few survive, due to the wear and tear they usually undergo. The high quality of Lord Clapham and his clothes indicates that he would have been expensive. There is little evidence of use, which suggests that he was admired by adults rather than played with by children.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLord Clapham (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Turned, carved, gessoed and painted wood, linen, human hair and net
Brief description
Doll 'Lord Clapham' of turned wood, London, 1690-1700
Physical description
Doll of turned wood, with a square shouldered and waisted body with wooden arms and jointed legs that are hinged at the knee and thigh. The body is covered with stuffing and a linen cover which attaches the arms. The arms and upper legs are gessoed with flesh colour and the lower leg and foot are painted black. Human hair has been stitched to a net and nailed to the head. The head is turned in one piece and the face is carved, gessoed and painted with black, red and pink features.
Dimensions
  • Seated height: 56cm (approx.)
Dimensions checked: measured; 01/01/1999 by DW
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
These dolls were named 'Lord and Lady' of the family home in Clapham, London by their owners, the Cockerell family. The outfits of the dolls are perfect miniatures of London fashions 1690-1700. Lord Clapham's coat, waistcoat and close-fitting breeches demonstrate the newly fashionable three-piece suit. At this period the suit was not expected to match. The neck-cloth is worn in fashionable, military style.

Doll of wood and wool, face gessoed and painted, wig of human hair; linen shirt; breeches of silver tissue lined with white flannel; waistcoat of silver tissue lined with silk; wool coat, lined with silk and trimmed with silver braid; muslin neckcloth; silk stockings; leather shoes with brass buckles; felt hat
Credit line
Purchased by public subscription
Object history
The doll and its partner are thought to have belonged to the Cockerell family, descendants of Samuel Pepys. The daughter of Pepys' nephew, John Jackson (son of his sister, Pauline) married a Cockerell. The doll and its partner were named 'Lord' and 'Lady' of the family home in Clapham.

Historical significance: The doll and its partner are costume documents; their clothes being, in style, cut and material, perfect miniatures of the fashions of the late 17th century. Their importance is underlined by the almost total lack of other good visual material for this period, whether pictorial or in the form of surviving garments. In particular, the survival of accessories and the informal garments is extremely rare.
Historical context
Dolls were widely produced in the 17th century, although very few survive. It is most unlikely that these particular examples were the playthings of children. Their production is of a high quality, almost all the accessories survive and there is little wear and tear on the dolls and their garments. They were most probably purchased for the amusement of adults, and as a decorative accessory to a home.
Summary
Object Type
This doll, known as Lord Clapham, is thought to have belonged to the Cockerell family, descendants of the diarist Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). The daughter of Pepys's nephew John Jackson (the son of his sister Pauline) married a Cockerell, who had a family home in Clapham, south London.

Designs & Designing
Lord Clapham offers a fine example of both formal and informal dress for a gentleman in the 1690s. His formal outfit includes a coat, waistcoat and breeches, while his informal dress is represented by the nightgown. Accessories such as the stockings, stock (a form of stiff, close-fitting neckcloth) and gloves are very valuable since very few items from this early period survive in museum collections. Equally important is the demonstration of how these clothes were worn together.

Ownership & Use
Dolls were widely produced in the 17th century, although very few survive, due to the wear and tear they usually undergo. The high quality of Lord Clapham and his clothes indicates that he would have been expensive. There is little evidence of use, which suggests that he was admired by adults rather than played with by children.
Associated object
T.846-1974 (Object)
Bibliographic reference
Hillier, Mary, Pollock's Dictionary of English Dolls, London: Robert Hale Ltd, 1982, 50-51, 202pp. ill
Collection
Accession number
T.847-1974

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Record createdJuly 12, 2000
Record URL
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