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Chinese Door of Hope Mission Doll: Buddhist Monk browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Chinese:Dolls and Puppets: Pre 1920: item # 974196 Please refer to our stock # 4B-001 when inquiring.
B & C Antiques P. O. Box 291 Derby, CT 06418 203-929-7312 Guest Book $2,450 |
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This rare Door of Hope doll represents a Buddhist priest or monk who is dressed in a long coarse “saffron” muslin coat with three frog closures. Ca. 1920. Beneath his muted light olive green-colored cotton outer coat, he wears blue cotton trousers and a blue cotton inner robe layered over another robe made of white cotton. His carved head is “shaved” – he has no painted hair like other male Door of Hope doll characters. In addition, his bald head has rows of indentations on top to represent the scars formed by little charcoal cones smoldering on the pate. He has a long and finely carved pear wood head, carved and painted black eyes, well-detailed carved ears, and a closed mouth with an enigmatic expression. His face is incredibly serene. His wooden arms terminate in beautifully carved hands and fingers, and he wears shoes made of olive green muslin. Door of Hope dolls have become highly collectible treasures, in part, because of their fascinating history. In 1900, five missionary ladies started the Door of Hope Mission in Shanghai. They opened schools for destitute young girls so they could learn to support themselves. As a means to learn sewing skills, the girls dressed dolls. These beautifully created and utterly different dolls are magnificent in their carvings and costuming. Heads and hands were carved from Chinese “Niponga wood” or pear wood, a light colored hardwood that is tough and difficult to carve. In its natural color it resembles the ivory of the Chinese skin. Touches of paint were then added for the lips, eyes and hair. The dolls were supplied by craftsmen skilled in wood carving and then meticulously dressed in Chinese clothing with amazing detail by the young girls. Frog closures, tiny undergarments and minute embroideries all accented these wonderful garments. There were approximately 26 standard and premium characters representing differing Chinese social classes. Each girl could dress only about one doll a month, and the relatively low volume of production of these dolls has increased their scarcity. Production of Door of Hope dolls continued until the Japanese invasion of Shanghai in 1937, at which time most of the estimated total production of 20,000 Door of Hope dolls had already been made. The Buddhist Priest is considered to be one of the harder-to-find premium Door of Hope characters, and this one would be a superb addition to any Door of Hope doll collection. CONDITION is excellent, with only normal fading on the outer robe, giving it an even truer saffron color. Metal doll stand is included. DIMENSIONS: 11 ¼” (28.7 cm) high. |
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