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ID #SA1219653
FOR SALE
£8,500
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19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)
White Space Antiques
for sale €9,945     $10,795
£8,500
White Space Antiques

White Space Antiques

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19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)

19th century
Description

19th Century, Life-Size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Circa 1890 to 1910, rare, life-sized, articulated, wooden Lay Figure Artist’s Mannequin with articulated index finger and thumb and hand carved head with exceptional detailing.

CONDITION:

Excellent condition overall. Wear commensurate with age. All joints function. Professionally polished and waxed.

PROVENANCE:

This Lay Figure, nicknamed ''Maximus'' by his previous owners, is well travelled indeed. Belonging to the same family since 1958, Maximus was the prized possession of an Artist who was married to a United States Intelligence Officer. As a result, Maximus moved home no less than eleven times, including Germany, Hungary, former republic of Czechoslovakia, France, Jordan, Turkey and the United States. Maximus was originally purchased in Paris, France (1958) by the Artist''s husband, as a fifth wedding anniversary, symbolised by wood.

Purchased directly from the above deceased family estate in Virginia, U.S., and shipped to the United Kingdom in 2023.

Despite Maximus' busy life, he has been extremely well cared for, and is in excellent condition.

COLLECTION:

Buyer must collect, or arrange collection, from Westbury, Wiltshire.

WEBSITE:

For more information or more detailed images, please visit our website:

https://www.WhiteSpaceAntiques.com

Physical Dimensions
Height
168cm (66.14")
Declaration

White Space Antiques has dated this Antique Wooden Lay Figure to the 1890s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1219653
Description
19th Century, Life-Size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)
“
Circa 1890 to 1910, rare, life-sized, articulated, wooden Lay Figure Artist’s Mannequin with articulated index finger and thumb and hand carved head with exceptional detailing.
White Space Antiques
fig 1. A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.
fig 1. 19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)

CONDITION:

Excellent condition overall. Wear commensurate with age. All joints function. Professionally polished and waxed.

PROVENANCE:

This Lay Figure, nicknamed ''Maximus'' by his previous owners, is well travelled indeed. Belonging to the same family since 1958, Maximus was the prized possession of an Artist who was married to a United States Intelligence Officer. As a result, Maximus moved home no less than eleven times, including Germany, Hungary, former republic of Czechoslovakia, France, Jordan, Turkey and the United States. Maximus was originally purchased in Paris, France (1958) by the Artist''s husband, as a fifth wedding anniversary, symbolised by wood.

fig 2. A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.
fig 2. 19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Purchased directly from the above deceased family estate in Virginia, U.S., and shipped to the United Kingdom in 2023.

Despite Maximus' busy life, he has been extremely well cared for, and is in excellent condition.

COLLECTION:

Buyer must collect, or arrange collection, from Westbury, Wiltshire.

WEBSITE:

For more information or more detailed images, please visit our website:

https://www.WhiteSpaceAntiques.com

Height
168cm (66.14")
Date of Manufacture

White Space Antiques has dated this Antique Wooden Lay Figure to the 1890s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1219653
White Space Antiques
White Space Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2026

Curate your white space

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the White Space Antiques Profile Page

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A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.
1 / 5
Archive I A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.

19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Archive II A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs. View II
Archive III A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs. View III
Archive IV A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs. View IV
Archive V A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs. View V
Enlarged Archival View
White Space Antiques

White Space Antiques
Telephone 07760 835542
Location
Westbury
Wiltshire
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/whitespace
Verified Since Feb 2026
Items For Sale 84
Items Sold 19
White Space Antiques
White Space Antiques
Verified Since Feb 2026
View Dealer Info
Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/whitespace
Verified
Feb 2026
For Sale
84
Sold
19
A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.
19th C. Life-size, Wooden Articulated Lay Figure (French)
Ref: SA1219653
A nineteenth-century French life-size wooden articulated lay figure with hand-carved facial features and fully jointed limbs.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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FAQs

An articulated lay figure is a full-scale or scaled jointed mannequin used by painters and sculptors to study human anatomy, body proportions, and the natural fold of fabric drapery without requiring a live model.

Nineteenth-century lay figures were typically carved from dense hardwoods such as beech, walnut, or fruitwood, featuring internal metal rods, brass fittings, and wood-carved ball-and-socket joints for fluid movement.

Authentic period pieces show evidence of hand-carving, natural wood grain variation, original patination, and hand-fitted joinery such as wooden pegs or early brass tension hardware rather than modern mass-produced screws.

A life-size lay figure functions as a striking sculptural object, best placed seated on a bench, displayed in a library corner, or positioned as a focal point alongside minimalist contemporary furnishings.

Keep the wood in a climate-controlled environment away from direct heat sources and direct sunlight to prevent warping or cracking, and apply a light coating of natural beeswax polish periodically to maintain the surface patina.
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