Premiere Celebrity Doll "Salome", Unique Swivel Waist Construction, Model 104

Early Lenci Dolls - The Elaine Romberg Collection
$69.00
1 . Very Rare Portrait of Native American Chief from Early Premiere Series
2 . All Original Portrait of Cowboy Shown in Earliest 1920 Advertisement
3 . Rare Boudoir Doll with Half-Closed Eyes, Model 161, with Metal Button
4 . Pierrot with Mandolin from Commedia dell'Arte Series, Model 115A
5 . Rare Female Variation of Pierrot, Variation Face, Guitar, Model 576, 1929
6 . Extremely Rare Portrait Doll of "Josephine Baker", Banana Costume, Model 554
7 . Rare Early Portrait Doll of Famed Bullfighters "Bombita", Model 267
8 . Rare Italian Felt Lady, Lenci, Unusual Size, 1925 Catalog Cover Doll, Model 204
9 . Black-Complexioned Bellman with Winking Expression, Model 107
10 . Premiere Celebrity Doll "Salome", Unique Swivel Waist Construction, Model 104
11 . Extremely Rare Italian Felt Portrait Doll of Valentino as "The Sheik"
12 . Extremely Rare Premiere Issue Chinese Man with Costume Symbol
13 . Early Model Dutch Boy with Character Face, Model 102, with early 1923 Button
14 . Early Trademark Model of Chinese Opium Smoker with Pipe
15 . Masked Harlequin from "Carnaval de Venise" Series for Paris Au Printemps

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Premiere Celebrity Doll "Salome", Unique Swivel Waist Construction, Model 104

Lot Number: 
10
16" (41 cm.) Firmly-pressed amber brown felt swivel head with elongated throat, head tilted to the side, brown painted eyes with heavily-modeled eyelids and black eyeliner and lashes, closed mouth with provocative smile, painted teeth, stitched ears, black wiry stitched-on hair, slender elongated felt torso and limbs, swivel waist, three middle stitched fingers, baby finger and thumbs separate. Wearing russet and orange felt costume comprising skirt strips with loop and bead dangles, fringed sash, matching vest with fringed edges, matching fringed coronet and netting, matching sandals, bangle earrings. Condition: doll is fair/good, costume is excellent, moth holes at sides of head, tip of nose, ankles, feet, rump. Comments: Lenci, the doll was first mentioned in a December 1919 article in the Italian monthly Noi & IL Mondo, and then appeared in the 1920 ad in Playthings magazine and in the 1920 Au Printemps catalog identified as "#7 Salome" for 129 fr. Value Points: important premiere model with intriguing social history and great rarity, unusual construction detail of swivel waist. The silent film, Salome, of scandalous fame, starring Theda Bara had premiered in 1918, and it is likely the doll was inspired by this film.
Realized Price: 
$1,500
Presale Estimate: 
1600/1900