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ID #SA1244643
FOR SALE
£4,200
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C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)
For sale by White Space Antiques
for sale €4,914     $5,334
£4,200
White Space Antiques

White Space Antiques

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C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)

1900 - 1920
Description

C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Very unique, hand-carved wooden, artist's mannequin (lay figure) with copper clad head, chest, waist, arms and legs; and well-defined facial features, with delicately carved hands, fingers, feet and toes.

DIMENSIONS:

84cm High




PROVENANCE:

From the Estate of renowned antique historian and collector, Eddi Van Auken (1946-2024), in California who acquired it from Il Segno del Tempo, Milan, Italy. Prior to this, reported to be from the Estate of Brian Duffy, (Fashion Photographer and Film Producer).

Date of Manufacture

White Space Antiques has dated this French Copper Lay Figure to the 1900s.

Independent Date Check ID 09712501
Dealer's Item Date1900s
Sellingantiques Date1900s
Sellingantiques agingItem 105-150 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1900s:
Articulated wooden joints: standard construction for traditional artist's lay figures.
Finely carved facial features and extremities: skilled hand carving.
Darkened patina on the exposed wood: many years of handling and exposure.
Small round-headed pins securing the copper: traditional mechanical fixings.
Mottled surface on the copper plates: long-term oxidisation or chemical patination.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Physical Dimensions
Height
84cm (33.07")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1244643
Description
C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Very unique, hand-carved wooden, artist's mannequin (lay figure) with copper clad head, chest, waist, arms and legs; and well-defined facial features, with delicately carved hands, fingers, feet and toes.

fig 1. A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features.
fig 1. C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)

DIMENSIONS:

84cm High




PROVENANCE:

“
From the Estate of renowned antique historian and collector, Eddi Van Auken (1946-2024), in California who acquired it from Il Segno del Tempo, Milan, Italy.
White Space Antiques

Prior to this, reported to be from the Estate of Brian Duffy, (Fashion Photographer and Film Producer).

Date of Manufacture

White Space Antiques has dated this French Copper Lay Figure to the 1900s.

Independent Date Report ID 09712501
Dealer's Item Date1900s
Sellingantiques dating1900s
Sellingantiques agingItem 105-150 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1900s:
Articulated wooden joints: standard construction for traditional artist's lay figures.
Finely carved facial features and extremities: skilled hand carving.
Darkened patina on the exposed wood: many years of handling and exposure.
Small round-headed pins securing the copper: traditional mechanical fixings.
Mottled surface on the copper plates: long-term oxidisation or chemical patination.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
84cm (33.07")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1244643
White Space Antiques
White Space Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2026

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Dealer Profile

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A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features.
1 / 6
Archive I A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features.

C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)

Archive II A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features. View II
Archive III A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features. View III
Archive IV A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features. View IV
Archive V A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features. View V
Archive VI A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features. View VI
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 79
Items Sold 6
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
79
Sold
6
A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features.
C. 1900, Rare & Unique, Copper Clad, Articulated Lay Figure (French)
Ref: SA1244643
A seated articulated female lay figure featuring a patinated copper cladding and carved facial features.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectArtist Mannequins
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleArt Nouveau
  • MaterialCopper, Wood, Metal
  • ColourCopper Brown
  • MotifsArticulated joints, Carved facial features, Copper cladding, Anatomical proportions
  • SizeH 84 cm (33 in)

This French artist mannequin dates from around 1900 and displays an Art Nouveau style. The piece comprises a hand-carved wooden body with patinated copper-brown cladding over the head, chest, waist, arms and legs, showing articulated joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Delicate hand-carvings define the facial features, hands with individual fingers, and feet with separated toes, all bearing visible surface wear and aged patination across the metallic and wooden surfaces. Standing 84 cm high, the mannequin sits naturally on a shelf or tabletop. In a contemporary home, this figure rests upon a bookshelf, mantelpiece or library desk within a study or sitting room. The movable joints allow the mannequin to adopt various seated poses, bringing a sculptural element to interior displays.

FAQs

Articulated lay figures, or artist mannequins, are three-dimensional jointed models designed to assist artists in studying human anatomy, proportions, and drapery. Popularised in European art academies, these articulated figures feature flexible limbs that replicate realistic human poses.

Turn-of-the-century lay figures were primarily constructed from hand-carved hardwoods such as beech or pine and held together with metal pin or ball joints. Specialty figures were clad in thin sheets of metal or copper leaf to protect the timber core and create a decorative surface.

Authentic period figures feature hand-carved facial details, carved toes and fingers, and articulated joints with visible historical wear. Look for subtle variations in surface patination, aged metal joint hardware, and hand-fitted construction techniques consistent with French craftsmanship.

Designers frequently position lay figures as striking standalone sculptural elements on bookshelves, mantelpieces, or consoles. Their architectural forms and warm patinated surfaces provide visual texture when paired alongside contemporary art, books, or geometric objects.

Maintain the surface by dusting gently with a dry, soft microfibre cloth without using liquid cleaners or chemical polishes. Store the figure in a climate-controlled environment away from extreme humidity changes to prevent shrinkage in the wooden core.
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