Special Collectors Set 16

A Trio of Beauty from Famous Portraits

Limited to 500 sets - Issued in 1979

“The Straw Hat”, by Reubens, who is said to have been modelled by the artist’s future sister-in-law, was the inspiration for this sumptuous model, (centre in picture).    The note on the label of this prototype reads “Please stitch blouse to dress to be as revealing as possible” – a look at the original painting (in the National Gallery, London) will explain why!

The doll shown here is a sample

Gainsborough - "The Honourable Mrs Graham", (Left in picture), looking every inch the aristocrat, was the inspiration for this elegant doll.  Modelled on the painting by one of England’s most famous portrait artists, she faithfully recaptures the elegance and romance of a bygone age

The doll shown here is a sample

Renoir - "The Box" is the last of the trio, (right in the picture), and draws its inspiration from the well known impressionist portrait by this romantic French painter.   Perhaps he glimpsed the subject of his original painting in a private box near the stage, at the “Moulin Rouge”

The complete set consisted of the following three dolls :

  • LE/88 - Reubens - "The Straw Hat"
  • LE/89 - Gainsborough - "The Honourable Mrs Graham"
  • LE/90 - Renoir - "The Box"

The slideshow below displays the entire "Trio of Beauty" doll collection

The doll pictures will auto run as a slide show in the window above.

Press F5 (function key 5 on your keyboard), to re-start the slide show.

Alternatively, you may control the slideshow manually – follow the steps below :

  • Place the cursor at the bottom of the window to access thumbnail and navigation control bar
  • Click on the “?” (question mark) symbol (bottom left hand side of the control bar) for a detailed explanation of the controls
  • See a full screen slideshow by clicking on the “Square with Arrow” symbol (2nd from right on the control bar)
  • Use the keyboard arrow keys to move forward and back through the slideshow, as desired
  • Use the “ESC” key to leave full screen mode

News

21st September 2023

 

Important Announcement

 

My dear wife, Christine, passed away on the 8th December, 2021, after 8 weeks in hospital. I was by her side, when she slipped away from me peacefully, with no pain or suffering.

 

Chris had been struggling with a slow decline in health, associated with a progressive, untreatable, and ultimately terminal lung disease, and finally succumbed to her old adversary, Pneumonia.

 

We had been friends for 55 years, together as a couple for 50 years, and married just a month short of 48 years, when she died.   

 

This website was Chris's idea, and I did all the technical stuff, to make it work.   After news of Chris's passing reached her close friends in the doll collecting world, I was deeply touched and gratified to hear their tributes to my dear wife, and I must thank them all for their kindness and support.   Ultimately, it was her doll friends that gave me the courage to continue with the website.

 

In the months before her eventual hospitalisation, Chris had outlined a number of additions and changes she wanted to make to the website, and it is my intention to honour those wishes, and to implement the changes we had considered, over the coming weeks and months.

 

I must apologise to all those who have written to us via the website, only to have your emails go unanswered.   Unfortunately, the email system had been hacked aroung the time Chris was going into hospital, and many emails must have been lost, as a result.

 

As you might imagine, I felt completely broken by Chris's loss, and it is only now, almost 22 months after her passing, that I have felt strong enough to even look at the website again.   

 

My aim is to continue with the website, and to implement Chris's aims for her many new ideas as soon as I can.   In the meantime, I have hopefully got the email system sorted out, and I will attempt to answer any enquiries as soon as I can, and to send replies with the same high degree of accuracy that a reply from Chris would have had.

 

From now on, I will be flying solo, whilst my co-pilot and guide will be soaring much higher, (though she is always in my heart, and in my thoughts).

 

My thanks to all our website visitors for your continued support

 

Dave (also known as Arthur), and Chris, (my lost love, Guinevere)

 

Christine Poulten

25th December 1949 - 8th December 2021