A charming cabinet-size antique German bisque doll by Armand Marseille, marked:

“Made in Germany, Armand Marseille, Floradora, A. 3/0 M.”

She measures approximately 14 inches (36 cm) tall. The Floradora model was made in Germany by Armand Marseille during the early twentieth century; a comparable Florodora example in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection is dated 1901–1921 and has a bisque socket head, composition-and-wood body, mohair wig, and glass sleeping eyes.

This doll has been professionally and sympathetically restored at Dolls’ Stories Hospital, with careful respect for her original materials, character, and early-20th-century appearance.

Restoration

The restoration included:

• Complete cleaning of the doll

• Replacement of the elastic stringing cords

• Strengthening and restoration of the neck socket

• Reconstruction of the missing section of one leg

• Creation of a cork pate to cover the top opening of the head

• Restoration of the eye rocker, with the eyes returned to their original position

• Recreation of the wig from vintage human hair, individually hand-braided by me

The crack-free bisque head retains its original wax-coated eyes. Her original body has been carefully stabilized while preserving its honest traces of age, then protected with natural shellac varnish.

All restoration work is reversible. The methods and natural materials used were selected to correspond closely with the doll’s original early-20th-century period.

Handmade costume

She wears a one-of-a-kind handmade ensemble created especially for this doll:

• Underwear: Antique-style undergarments fitted to her individual figure

• Dress: Made from antique silk taffeta with a vintage silk lining, following an antique doll-dress pattern and finished with a natural bead brooch detail

• Hat: Handmade from paper straw for this project and trimmed with natural silk ribbon to complement the dress

• Stockings: Made in my workshop from worn cotton jersey, following old stocking models

• Shoes: Hand-sewn in my workshop from vintage genuine leather, using antique patterns and traditional construction methods

Condition

Excellent condition following restoration. A distinctive small Floradora doll with a crack-free bisque head, restored eye mechanism, hand-braided vintage-hair wig, and a bespoke antique-inspired wardrobe. A beautiful addition to an antique doll collection and a meaningful heirloom to enjoy for generations.