Casgliadau Arlein

A wax headed doll with shoulder plate. Body stuffed with sawdust, and forearms consisting of a stuffed paper composition painted pink which has frayed around the hands allowing some of the sawdust to escape.

The head and shoulder plate is of papier-mâché painted white and covered by a layer of wax which has cracked considerably giving a macabre look to the face. The doll has a ‘Stülpnase’ and is probably German. The doll is also ‘slit-headed’ in that the flaxen has been pressed into a slit in the top of the head, and glued down evenly onto the scalp; the ends of the hair have been curled into the corkscrews which were probably fashionable at the time. The blue glass eyes are fixed, other features having faded.

The pink forearms have been neatly stitched to the upper arm and five fingers are apparent. The legs are also stitched.

The doll is wearing simple white linen underwear.