Empress Eugenie ; China Shoulder Head Doll
China head doll representing the Empress Eugenie has a slender face and neck exemplify the early china head lady dolls. Her hair style features a band across the top of the head, a molded tassel on the right side of the hair, and a snood holding hair at the back. Her face has painted blue eyes, rosy cheeks, a closed red mouth. Her hair is black. The deep shoulder plate has molded upper breasts. She has china limbs attached to a hand-sewn, stuffed cloth body. Her black shoes have flat soles.
Clothing consists of a black silk and net ball gown representative of a dress from the 1890s. Bodice is lined with a light buckram fabric and closes down the back with six small hooks and eyes. Bell sleeves are covered with black silk netting and trimmed with narrow white ribbon edged in black. Seam above the bell is encircled with the same ribbon that ties in a bow. Neckline is encircled with the same silk net and ribbon trim and has bows at the top shoulder seam and center front. Center front bow also has a small pink flower. Lower edge of center front bodice ends in a deep V. Gathered skirt opens in the center back. Matching ribbon trim encircles the skirt 2.25" above the hem and has a silk net ruffle attached to it. Undergarments consist of a white cotton half slip that is gathered to a narrow waistband and fastens in the back with a straight pin; and a pair of white cotton drawers that tie with a piece of cord at center back. Slip has a deep tuck above the hem and lace trim along the bottom edge. Drawers have a split crotch appropriate to the time period they represent, and have crocheted lace trim around the lower edges.
This doll came to History Colorado in 1988 as part of the Bernice Lang doll collection. The doll was collected by either Bernice Lang, Wilmette (Minnie) Belle Jackson (Bernice's mother), or Lindy Lou Lang, Bernice's sister or mother-in-law as an addition to their doll collection. The doll is not thought to have been used by any of the three ladies as children. No further provenance is recorded in any records obtained by History Colorado.
Secondary inscription in blue ink on a paper sticker pasted inside the skirt: Rare China / snood and / plume / $395.00