Lot 1128
1128
Sophy
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more An Important doll, formerly the property of one of the Russian Grand Duchesses.
Sophy

Details
Sophy
a large Tete Jumeau bébé with fixed blue eyes, open/closed mouth, applied pierced ears, original auburn mohair wig on cork pate, jointed papier-mache body, white cotton sleeveless frock with pleats, tucks and broderie Anglaise panels, figured cotton coat with mother of pearl buttons and broiderie Anglaise cuffs, matching cape, layers of underclothes, original socks and dark purple leather shoes --30in. (76cm.) high, red ink stamp to back of head DEPOSE TETE JUEMAU 14 and blue ink stamp on body BEBE JUEMAU Diplome d' Honneur (firing crack on back of head under wig); a letter dated July 20th 1911 to My dear Old Mabel from Aunt Nellie, sent from New Peterhoff, No.1 Olgenskai, Russia with envelope (stamp removed) and a postcard of the Tsarevitch Alexis, dated 22nd September 1911 to My dear Charles from Auntie Nellie, also sent from New Peterhoff (3)
Provenance
Sophy was brought out of Russia by Nellie West, governess to Titi the son of Lily Dehn, one of the Empress's closest friends. The Empress was very fond of both Lily and Titi and asked to be his Godmother. Titi was often with the Empress and family history believes that Sophy belonged to the Grand Duchesses and was given to Nellie by the Empress for one of her many nieces. The letter included in the lot from Nellie describes a visit to the Royal Yacht and being presented to the Empress and shown around by the Grand Duchesses, amongst other occasions when the Empress was kind to her.
Literature
The Real Tsaritsa - A Book about Alexandra Feodorovna and Romanov Russia, by Lili Dehn.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis
Sale room notice
The letter sent by Nellie is dated July 20th 1911 instead of 1991.

Lot Essay

Sophy is a late tete Jumeau made in Paris between 1892 and 1899. The Grand Duchesses were Olga b.1895, Tatiania b.1897 and Marie b. 1899, it would therefore seem highly probable that she was given to one of them. A doll of this type would have been very expensive.

The brother of this doll 'Vladimir' wearing Imperial Russian sailor suit with Royal cypher was sold in these rooms as lot 269 on the 9th July 1987. At the time the provenance was incorretly attributed to the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as the name of thier yaught was on his cap band.

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