Casgliadau Arlein

A large doll enclosed in a glass case*. Waxed papier-mâché head and shoulder plate. Fixed blue eyes. Slit head with fair hair. Plaster composition arms and lower legs & feet. Clothing: Dressed as a young girl in white dress, typically late Victorian.

• Lower torso and upper legs (to knee) appear to be filled with wood shavings and are covered in white starched muslin;
• Dressed in white cotton drawers, fastened with white plastic button at centre back waist, with rouched lace cuffs;
• white short-sleeved cotton blouse with lace trim along neckline and cuffs of sleeves;
• white flannel petticoat with single tuck pleat above hem, red selvage at hem, flannel is gathered into white cotton waistband (with striped weave), which is fastened by a mother-of-pearl button at CB waist;
• white cotton chemise: thin shoulder straps, draw string along neck line to fasten at centre back, lower half of bodice made from a strip of slightly lighter and coarser woven cotton fabric, white cotton skirt gathered into the waist, drawstring fastening at waist, skirt has woven pattern of vertical stripes and small dots, 4 tuck pleats above hemline, trimmed with scalloped lace; two lengths of wide cotton tape have been tied around the chemise, one underneath the arms and one at the waist. It is not clear when this was carried out or what purpose these serve.
• white cotton dress with puffed sleeves that reach to the elbow, cuffs and neckline trimmed with lace, fastened with 6 metal, fabric covered buttons down CB to waist: buttons don't fasten into button holes but into corresponding loops which are formed out of a length of continuous corded thread which has been stitched along the proper right side opening. The second button from the top is slightly larger and seems to be a later replacement; triangular lace panel appliquéed to centre front; framed by lace ruffles that narrow down towards the centre front, widen out over the shoulders and narrow back down towards the centre back waist; skirt made from white cotton fabric which has a pattern of pairs of narrow, vertical stripes; tuck-pleats in the lower section: pattern of 3 narrow pleats alternating with 1 wider one; hem trimmed with scalloped lace.

The doll has painted stockings, which reach just below the knee but she also wears white knitted socks as well as black patent leather shoes which have an ankle strap, closed with a small black button; the shoes are decorated with black satin bows which are trimmed with faceted metal beads. She wears a single-string necklace of clear glass beads and has a pale pink ribbon tied to her hair.

*Doll and glass case are currently stored separately. KT Sept 2023