A collection of 7 hand made paper dolls and their costumes

1857. Minimal wear.. A collection including five (5) pencil drawn paper dolls and two (2) cutouts from Godey's or Peterson's. The four (4) of the female dolls have complimentary gowns hand decorated with watercolor floral trim. Each also has at least one additional costume from plain and pleated tissue paper with adornments. There are two (2) male dolls; one with an applied paper suit, the other with three (3) hand decorated suit coats. The handmade dolls are created on recycled ledger paper - the manuscript date on the reverse of one doll reads 1857. Most of the handmade dolls have fine detail on the doll itself as well as the costumes. Additionally the arms are cutaway from the sides of the dolls to allow proper placement of costumes. Of particular note is the magazine cut-out with the no arms quite naive handmade paper dress with with the dolls hand applied at the end of the costume sleeve. Probably one of the child's earliest works, but with an attention to detail even early in the process. Fine depiction of fashion of the time. Charming costumes.