When I purchased this, in Maine, I had a bit of a feeling that it might be a very very old carved chess queen, but now I believe it is in fact a bedpost doll, as I have found a very very similar one sold at auction by Pook & Pook, which cites it as 18th century American, likely from New England. (I have included a photo of that one, which is at far right in the image of three sold together.) From what I have read, while some of these dolls were the in fact carved from bedposts, others were most likely the products of early cottage industry, which, based on the skill of the carving, I think may be the case with this one. With the features of the wonderfully expressive face much softened with age and wear, and this long neck framed by old splits running down the sides, I find it quite a beautiful and evocative thing.
4 11/16" t X 1 1/2" in diameter. Stands up straight on its flat base. Splits as evident but very stable and with a beautiful sheen to the wood accrued over what I believe to be more than 200 years.
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