Retired Ashton Drake buy (Titus Tomescu Designed) Life-like "Cute as a Button" Porcelain Doll, With Original Box & Certificate of Authenticity

This is a doll that was made in 1993, that has a head and a body that are completely made of buy porcelain, and that has life-like features. It was designed by award-winning Chicago sculptor and doll designer Titus Tomescu, for Ashton Drake Galleries. It is called the “Cute as a Button” doll and is one of the first dolls that were made for a collection of ‘all porcelain baby dolls' (called the Barely Yours Collection) that Tomescu designed for Ashton Drake. The Cute as a Button doll was retired from production, by Ashton Drake, in 1995.

This female baby doll has life-like details that include face and back dimples, a belly button, skin folds/wrinkles, and finger and toe nails (that are carved into the porcelain), a scattering of front teeth (which are made of tiny pieces of porcelain), and a pleasantly rounded tummy. She also has short blond hair, pretty blue eyes, and nice hand-painted features, such as her eyelashes, eyebrows, and pink lips. Her eyes look like they might be made of glass, but it is possible that they are resin or plastic. Although her body is 'all porcelain', her arms and legs are adjustable and she can be positioned to lie down or to sit up. This doll is wearing a lacy and frilly pink and white jacket, with matching underwear that has a bow and a button on the back. She also has a pink and white cloth bow, with a button in its center, on her hair. She has an Ashton Drake/Cute as a Button/Titus Tomescu paper tag around one of her wrists, comes in her original Ashton Drake box, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and other descriptive papers. The Certificate identifies her as being no. TA42789. A number, that begins with ‘TA42', is also stamped on the back of the doll's neck. (Note: The numbers on the neck that are after 'TA42' are faded and hard to read.) The doll has ‘Ashton Drake' and ‘1993' stamped on the back of one of her thighs. Tomescu's signature is carved into the upper part of her porcelain back. I did not get an image of the signature because it would have required removing the doll's jacket and I did not want to risk causing damage to the porcelain, in an effort to remove the jacket.

In 1985, Ashton Drake Galleries (which is based in the U.S. state of Illinois) began making limited edition dolls. Since that time, it has made dolls for both children and for adult collectors. The company uses many award-winning doll designers, to create its products. It also uses a variety of materials, including porcelain, resin, vinyl, and silicone. It produces dolls that are related to a wide range of themes and topics, including (but not limited to) portrait dolls, playful monkey dolls, wedding dolls, and baby dolls. It is well-known for its baby dolls that are realistic looking and life-like. It also produces unique doll furniture and custom doll clothing and accessories.

The doll about 16 inches ‘in length' and 7 inches ‘at her widest point', when she is lying down. She is about 11 inches ‘in height', when she is sitting.

This collectible doll is in very good condition, with no chips or cracks on her porcelain and no tears or stains on her clothes. Her paper Certificate of Authenticity has some wrinkles on it, but it has no tears or stains. Her box is in fairly good condition, with no major stains or tears, but it has some light fading/scuff marks (showing that it is not new).

RETURNS AND REFUNDS

Please read the description and view the images, which are a part of the description. I will not accept a return, unless I made a material misstatement in describing the item or failed to disclose significant damage. In such an instance, if I am contacted within 4 days of the receipt of the item, I agree to accept a return, and the item is returned to me within 10 days of the receipt, I will provide a full refund and will also reimburse the buyer for reasonable return shipping costs (for which the method of return has been agreed upon, before the item is returned). If an item is damaged during the initial shipping, the buyer is responsible for communicating with (and submitting paperwork and proof of damage to) the shipper, so that a refund can be obtained. I will assist the buyer with obtaining compensation for the damaged shipment, to the extent that I am able to.