armada

One twelfth scale miniature porcelain doll standing approx five and a half inches tall.

This top-of-the-range miniature porcelain character doll captures, in all its delicate detail, the spectacularly lavish costume of Queen Elizabeth 1st in her ‘Armada Victory Portrait’ of 1588.

Queen Elizabeth 1st has been cast in fine translucent white bisque porcelain to mimic the white make-up she would have worn at this time.
The Queen is wearing the typical wide farthingale gown of the late Elizabethan era. The main gown of jet black silk is trimmed with black and gold fancy braid, tiny faux pearl strings and delicate coral silk ribbon bows, each with its centre further embellished with a sparkling coloured crystal.

The long black hanging sleeves are lined in coral coloured silk and decorated to match the wide open gown skirt. At the top of each hanging sleeve is a matching richly decorated sleeve roll.

The tightly fitting bodice is extended with a long centre panel known as a ‘stomacher’ and this is heavily embellished with several strings of faux pearls and coral silk jewelled bows. At the end of the stomacher is a smaller narrow silk bow with golden filigree centre and a tiny hanging drop pearl.

The Queen’s magnificent gown is worn over a spectacular silver diamond-patterned silk ankle-length underskirt panel. Rich metallic gold and black thread stars have been painstakingly hand-embroidered (by me) onto the fabric and each golden star is jewelled in the centre with either a tiny faux pearl or black crystal...every one individually hand-applied. Queen Elizabeth’s sleeves are embroidered and jewelled to match the underskirt panel and at each wrist is a sumptuously rich deep lace cuff.

Underneath her stunning costume, the Queen wears pure silk stockings and real black leather slippers, each one decorated with jewelled golden filigree. On top of a white cotton lace-trimmed petticoat, Her Majesty wears a crescent shaped pad known as a ‘hip roll’ to support the stiff farthingale that sits underneath her top skirts.

A lavish silk and lace pleated ruff rests around Queen Elizabeth’s neck and her wide auburn wig is dotted with even more faux pearls and topped with a feathered and jewelled filigree. On her fingers are several crystal ‘rings’ and in one hand she hold a jewelled filigree feather fan.