La Coquette.

A fashionable dressing game consisting of a lithographic and hand coloured mannequin [162 mm. in height]; 10 hand coloured lithographic and varnished dresses (back and front glued together at the edges), and eight hats; some minor damage to mannequin - failed decapitation; and the back of one of the dresses with two small patches abraided; all contained in the original publisher's card box [214 x 145 x 25 mm.], richly decorated and with lithographic and hand coloured signed Bommier; the lid illustrating three girls of different ages playing with the doll, with their mother seated together at a table in a room setting; some discolouration to the lid and light repairs to edges.

A dressing game, part instructional, part toy, showing the transition from young woman to mother.

All clothing items show the front and back of the the young woman as she progresses from adolescence through her wedding day and towards motherhood or at least marital and domestic bliss. The costumes include 1) a bright yellow dress with a red short sleeved jacket over a rose head front; 2) an orange dress with a green jacket and lace ruffs and holding a closed fan; 3) a pink dress with a laced blue bodice with white silk puffed sleeves and holding an open fan 4) a green full length morning gown over a white cotton and embroidered petticoat and hold in in her had a paper doll of the next costume; 5) an outdoor blue dress and a three-quarter coat of black fur and ermine; 6) a half-high wedding dress, with a lace veil; 7) a purple dress with a white lace shawl and holding a green umbrella; 8) a black dress and over her shoulders paisley pattern shawl; 9) a brown travelling dress with thick black wool mantle; 10) a dark blue dress with white line shirt and small puff cuffs.

We have not been able to find any reference to this particular toy although the publisher H. Rousseau, the lithographer H. Jannin, and the artist C. Bommier worked together in producing many other toys and also prints between 1852 and 1860. Another similar paper doll we have handled, under the title L'Élégante, was produced about the same time, although with only five costumes and of a slightly smaller format for a younger audience.

Also included in the box is an envelope containing a few amateur hand cut paper dolls, nothing unusual about this except the envelope is addressed to 'Miss Fleming, Marquay de Hooker, 20 Piazza de Sprague Rome.' Alas, the famous American journalist, editor, critic, and women's rights advocate Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) was dead by the time this toy was made, but James Clinton Hooker (1818-1894) secretary of the American legation in Rome and preferred banker of American's was still a resident in Rome at a later period, maybe just an old envelope pressed into practical purpose.