22nd Feb, 2024 12:00

The Important Private Antique Doll Collection of Austin Smith and Margaret Harkin - Part 1

 
  Lot 64
 

64

A rare SFBJ Nenette character girl designed by Francisque Poulbot circa 1915

Sold for £1,600
Estimated at £300 - £500


 

A rare SFBJ Nenette character girl designed by Francisque Poulbot circa 1915, with dark brown glass eyes, deep set sockets, closed mouth with slight smile, upturned nose and shaded ears, brown hair wig, jointed papier-mache body and original printed red and white dress, blue, black and white play apron, underclothes and white kid shoes —14in. (35.5cm.) high (forehead broken and glue, under wig) - these dolls were marketed in a Paris department store catalogue for one or two years, as ‘Les Gosses de Poulbot’ and named Rintintin and Nenette in honour of the pet names used by the artist and his wife for each other. Poulbot, a French illustrator of the early 20th century, was forefront in raising funds for orphaned children of WWI