BONHAMS TO SELL DOLL DRESSED BY QUEEN VICTORIA'S DAUGHTER

A WAX DOLL DRESSED BY QUEEN VICTORIA'S ELDEST DAUGHTER, THE EMPRESS FREDERICK OF GERMANY (CHRISTENED PRINCESS VICTORIA, THE PRINCESS ROYAL), IS TO BE SOLD AT BONHAMS, KNIGHTSBRIDGE ON 26.MAY, AS PART OF THE FINE DOLLS AND TEDDY BEARS SALE. THE EMPRESS DRESSED THE DOLL, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO FETCH £800 – 1,200, FOR A BAZAAR IN LONDON TO RAISE FUNDS FOR IMPOVERISHED GERMANS IN THE CITY, CIRCA 1868, AND IT WAS BOUGHT BY THE FINANCIER BARON VON SCHRODER. THE DOLL WEARS A BEAUTIFUL LONG WHITE COTTON DRESS AND LACE DRESS WITH A PINK SATIN UNDERSKIRT, LAYERS OF UNDERCLOTHING AND A RIBBONED BONNET. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF THE SALE IS ONE OF THE FIRST WOODEN DOLLS EVER MADE, CIRCA 1680. THE DOLL IS DRESSED IN THE HABIT OF THE CARMELITE CONVENT AT BETHUNE, WHICH SPEAKS OF THE RELIGIOUS TURMOIL OF THE TIME. THE FEW KNOWN 17th CENTURY DOLLS DRESSED IN HABITS ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE BELONGED TO THE CHILDREN OF CATHOLIC FAMILIES, WHO WERE SENT ABROAD TO BE EDUCATED. THEY WOULD SEND THEIR DOLL BACK TO ENGLAND DRESSED TO THE ORDER THEY HAD JOINED, AND TO SIGNIFY THAT THEY WERE SAFE, THIS UNIQUE AND HISTORIC LOT IS ESTIMATED AT £10,000 – 15,000.