Casgliadau Arlein

Waxed papier-mâché doll. Fixed, blue glass eyes. The hair is sewn onto cloth, glued to the head and curled into ringlets. Waxed arms attached to sawdust stuffed body. The head of the doll is currently fully covered by a hair net.

Clothing: original clothes from 1836 (donor’s testimony).

Wearing a brown and green tartan silk dress with silk trim in two different shades of green, consisting of a bodice and skirt which is gathered and pleated into a waistband, and separate, detachable collar and puffy sleeves. The collar is squared off across the back and ends in two large lapels on the front. It is fastened with a silk ribbon bow at the neck. The sleeves fasten with one metal hook and eye under the arm. Collar is lined with cream silk, sleeves and skirt are lined with cream linen fabric. Skirt has two inward facing pleated frills running down from waist to hem. The bodice of the dress has a different colour green frill which runs along the rear neck opening, across the shoulders and down towards the waist.The back of the dress is fastened with three metal hooks and eyes.

Below the dress, she is also wearing:

• a white cotton chemise with lace trim at neck, fabric covered button fastening at waist band and additional fastening by metal hook and eye, as well as a draw string at CB neck. Skirt section has lace trim at hem and 4 rows of tuck pleats above.

• cream flannel petticoat which is pleated into a waistband and fastened with a Dorset button; it has a white ribbon binding along the hem.

• white cotton drawers which are gathered into a waistband and fastened with a Dorset button.

• Cream boned corset with thin shoulder straps and 9 pairs of eye holes for lacing (they are currently held together with white thread). Upper edge bound with cotton twill tape.

• underneath corset she wears a plain white cotton chemise with a square collar panel at the upper centre back which is folded back over the corset.

She is wearing knee-length stockings made from white cotton knitted lace which have a seam running down the centre back and brown leather shoes with leather soles and a squared off toe. They have two sets of lace holes and an ankle strap which are fastened with a silk ribbon. The edges are bound with silk ribbon.

All hand stitched.