Antique French Tailor's Dummy, Mannequin, Woman's Bust

Antique french tailors dummy mannequin stockman, woman bust, dating after the end of the first world war, returned to fashion in january 1930. This mannequin is testimony to the evolution of sizes in europe and an essential element of fashion which helped couturiers and designers to assemble their models. The edwardian corset held the body in an s shape (seen in profile), this s-curve silhouette has relaxed, during the first war, as women's lives became more practical and physical, but we still see this curve in this bust. Made of wood and paper mache cover in canvas, in original condition, traces of use due to time, some tears and stain marks on canvas (please see photos). The wooden stand has some woodworm, this has been treated.

For cutting clothes on the bias, this larger bust (t44) was used to create the ease needed for the movement of the human body and the fall of the fabric. The workshops of the 30s used busts of size 44, instead of 42.