Gwendolin
Baby Doll
1888 (made)
1888 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This wax over composition baby doll carries the winged helmet trade mark of Cuno and Otto Dressel of Sonneberg in Germany, and dates from between 1874 and 1876. She has blue glass eyes, a blonde mohair wig, and an open mouth showing teeth. She wears real baby clothes. In the 19th century British and American adults gave up the custom of swaddling babies (wrapping them in bands of fabric) over a shirt and nappy, and dressed them entirely in separate garments. Because the swaddling had kept the babies warmer than clothes, they had to wear layers of garments: a binder, nappy, nappy cover, shirt, two caps, bodice, 2 petticoats, gown, bib or pinafore, socks and shoes, with a cape or shawl and hat for going out of doors.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Gwendolin (popular title) |
Materials and techniques | Wax over composition, with moulded plaster and cloth |
Brief description | Wax over composition baby doll made by Dressel in Germany between 1874 and 1876 |
Physical description | Wax over composition doll with shoulder head and lower arms on a stuffed calico body. The head has a moulded open mouth showing teeth; fixed blue glass eyes; blonde mohair wig. Clothing: lace bonnet linen chemise marked Audrey Start long woollen barracoat with quilted front long linen petticoat with lace, marked as before long gown of lawn and lace wool carrying cape and matching bonnet |
Dimensions |
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Production type | mass produced |
Marks and inscriptions | winged helmet (trade mark; on right leg; stamped) |
Credit line | Given by Miss M. Audrey Start |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | This wax over composition baby doll carries the winged helmet trade mark of Cuno and Otto Dressel of Sonneberg in Germany, and dates from between 1874 and 1876. She has blue glass eyes, a blonde mohair wig, and an open mouth showing teeth. She wears real baby clothes. In the 19th century British and American adults gave up the custom of swaddling babies (wrapping them in bands of fabric) over a shirt and nappy, and dressed them entirely in separate garments. Because the swaddling had kept the babies warmer than clothes, they had to wear layers of garments: a binder, nappy, nappy cover, shirt, two caps, bodice, 2 petticoats, gown, bib or pinafore, socks and shoes, with a cape or shawl and hat for going out of doors. |
Collection | |
Accession number | MISC.33-1966 |
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Record created | January 25, 2001 |
Record URL |
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