Doe and Hope

Description

In wonderfully aged condition, the hand painted polychrome doorstop with scrolled pedestal base surmounted by a scantily clad lady, naked from the waist up, her arms draped over her head in a relaxed pose.

The loss and flaking to the paintwork is evident but only brings more beauty to an already highly desirable object that has a good weight and is unusually tall for a doorstop.

Although mankind had thought of various ways to keep doorways open prior to Victorian times, the way in which we now expect a door stop to look and function today was down to a 19th century African American inventor named Osbourn Dorsey who came up with the design on December 10, 1878.

As much as a decorative object as a functional doorstop, and with a the feel of a ship’s figurehead in many respects, this lady is sure to attract attention whether from floor or table.