This lovely doll is marked Handwerck. There were two Handwerck doll companies in Germany and this lovely lady is from the older one. Heinrich Handwerck began producing dolls in 1876. This lovely chubby cheeks lady is marked with the mold number 409. She has almond-shaped, dark brown eyes, which were originally sleep eyes but since have been plastered to remain stationary. She also has pierced ears. Her chubby cheeks are a sure sign that she was a fashion girl. The long face with the chubby cheeks, dark eyes and eyebrows were a sign of fashion. She wears a deteriorated auburn mohair wig, which must have been stunning when it was new, because the color is rich. She has a nice cubby body with a defined waist. I’d love to see her dressed in high fashion silk and some earrings added to her pierced ears. She’d make a stunning beauty.
You can see her and other examples of antique dolls at the Drake House Museum.
http://www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org/
Please email me directly with any questions you may have about the doll.
