Summary

An antique Hilda Cowham bisque doll head on composition body dressed in a contemporary style.

Hilda Gertrude Cowham (1873-1964) was a British artist. She became well known for her illustrations in children's books and designs for nurseryware and dolls.

Composition dolls initially comprised of a bisque porcelain head and a composition body made from a combination of glue, corn starch and ground sawdust (wood flour).

This doll is part of a family collection gifted by the donor which includes objects passed down by her father Sir Henry Beaufort Somerset, a former Trustee of the National Museum of Victoria, and grandfather Henry St John Somerset.

Physical Description

A composition female doll dressed in a contemporary style comprising of a bisque porcelain head with cloth legs. She has a wig of dark brown hair in a short style around the face. The face has been coloured with a pink skin tone. The eyes have been hand painted blue with black pupils and a brown upper eyeline and eyebrows. The doll has a defined nose, cheeks, lips and chin. The lips have been painted a salmon/pink colour and red blush applied to the cheeks. She is dressed in a loose olive green dress made from a satin material with three quarter sleeves which is pinned at the back with a gold safety pin. Black cotton leggings are stitched onto her cloth legs.

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