Mary O’Neill talked to Arthur Shultze a manager of the St. Vincent de
Paul Catholic shop in Napier. “It’s an old catholic priest's vestment, I
would say very old. They do not have those vestments for years. It
could be up to 1930s. It looks like Father Paul (Napier priest, he now
lives in Waipukurau), he uses to get dressed like this for Art Deco
Festival."
Mary also spoke to
Keri the owner of the Napier Antique & Jewellery Centre, Keri
said she is very experienced with antique laces, and dated lace and
fabric on this doll in the 1940s, or before.
The doll is an example of the earliest composition doll made in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
Mary O'Neill Doll Museum news blog http://dollmuseumnewzealand.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/the-late 1800s-or-early-20th-century.htm