A Unique Vintage Madame Tussauds Female Waxwork Head c.1960
SOLD
Origin: British
Period: Mid Twentieth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1960
Height: 11 inches
Circumference: 20 inches (at temple)
The waxwork modelled head with blue green glass eyes, realistically rendered eyelashes, side parted free flowing wavy brown hair with hair pins, a full toothy smile with full red lips, the subject obviously in good fooling.
Condition wise the head is in perfect order aside from an old repair to a crack to the front on the neckline.
Madame Tussauds has roots dating back to the Paris of 1770 and it was here that Madame Tussaud learnt to model wax likenesses under the tutelage of her mentor, Dr Philippe Curtius. At the age of 17, she became art tutor to King Louis XVI’s sister at the Palace Of Versailles and then, during the French Revolution, was hastily forced to prove her allegiance to the feudalistic nobles by making the death masks of executed aristocrats. Madame Tussaud came to Britain in the early 19th century alongside a traveling exhibition of revolutionary relics and effigies of public heroes and rogues.
We cannot fathom the identity of this cheerful lady though someone did mention the name Barbara so that’s what we’ve called her. Over to you.