Identifying Lenci Ceramics: Lady with Frog

Lenci Figurine with Frog

First of all I am not an expert on Lenci ceramics but I occasionally get questions from readers regarding ceramics and figurines they wish to identify or evaluate and I try to point them in the right direction if I can. Here is a example of one case. The owner of the lady with frog pictured here was looking for help identifying her figurine. A friend who had a great reference book at the time was able to find a page showing that lady was originally standing in a cup – I expect you would fill the cup with water as a display or centerpiece. The title is NUDA CON RANOCCHIO CON COPPA by Mario Sturani, an artist who worked for Lenci, the mark on the original is “Lenci Made in Italy Torino B. s.g.d.”
The figurine is 10x35cm and the cup is 12x17cm.
I also found a Lot Description online in the Christies past auctions with price from a previous auction which refers to a lady that is not in a cup.:

Lot details: “A Lenci matt glazed figure of a naked young girl standing holding a green frog in the right hand, painted factory mark (restored) — 13½in. high”
Price Realized (Set Currency) £1,210
($1,884)
Price includes buyer’s premium
Estimate£1,000 – £1,500
($1,557 – $2,336)
Sale Information
Sale 4867
decorative arts,1850 to the present day
10 December 1992
London, South Kensington

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=3574337&sid=93c2e4e7-eb2e-40a7-a801-ae0f08182653

Reference Page Showing complete Lenci Figure in Cup

 

On the same reference page is another art deco looking figurine of a  Lady holding a frog in one hand and shading it with the other hand. This one is called GINESTRA and it is by Sandro Vacchetti , Marked Essevi  Made in Italy Torino  1-939 XVII.

A good reference book for Lenci ceramics is Le Ceramiche Lenci by Alfonso Panzetta (Link to book page at Amazon) – the full title is “Le ceramiche Lenci, 1928-1964: Catalogo generale dall’archivio storico della manifattura” . Its currently out of print but it worth looking for used copies if you can get one.
Description:
“The privilege of exclusive access to the archive of the legendary factory in Turin, whose works are now highly sought after by museums and collectors around the world, has allowed us to make this work, which classifies the almost total ceramic production during the entire activity atelier. In addition to an exceptional array of nearly two thousand copies, some of which works now found, scattered in unknown locations and perhaps destroyed, this systematic repertoire includes all relevant information, meticulously verified as dating, names of artists and decorators, trademarks, measures and number of units produced.”

Lenci doll in 1920s Store Window

Lenci doll in shop window 1920s

This little girl is looking at a shop window full of dolls. the doll that caught her eye seems to be looking right back at her. In the center front is a 22 inch 109 series Lenci doll in a plaid felt dress that first appeared in the Lenci catalog in 1927 as model 109/48 so this dates the photo to the mid to late 1920’s to early 1930s

Actually there is another lenci doll in the picture – can you spot it? Is is only partly visible to the right of the picture, it appears to be a Lenci 300 series or a Grugnetto boy doll carrying a cane.

Lenci series 109/48

Lenci series 109/48

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Very Early Lenci Toddler Doll

Early Lenci Fat Face Toddler Doll

This is a vintage photo I saw on Etsy today. This is the earliest version of the108 Series  Fat Face Lenci dolls. These 15 inch fat baby dolls were made from 1919-21 and were seen in the early ads and the 108 series doll appeared in very first Lenci catalog of 1923 which included examples of the dolls and characters Lenci was selling up to that time.

Lenci ad  Playthings1921

Lenci ad Playthings1921

The Lenci ad above is from the american toy trade Playthings magazine 1921, showing a selection of Lenci dolls for promotion on the American market that year. There are two of the early chubby baby dolls on the top row.

The article page above shows a goup of the early fat face Lenci babies from the Farago collection. The doll on the right looks like the exact same doll from the black and white photo on etsy.These early fat babies are now very rare and are rarely seen at auction or on eBay. See below a rare picture from the 1923 catalog of one of the 108 series fat face toddlers –  notice the doll from the catalog that has separate fingers in contrast to earlier 108 series dolls in the photos above that have joined fingers.

LENCI lead button

LENCI lead button

The early Lenci dolls made before 1923 often have human hair and many have a metal(lead) round button tag on the body or clothing similar to the Steiff button, with the word “LENCI” in capital letters on it. These early dolls can be difficult to identify. They have coarser features than the later dolls as the process was not refined yet and they were likely molded by Lenci herself.

1923 lenci catalog fat baby

1923 Lenci catalog 108 C Fat Face Toddler 15"

From about 1923 when the dolls were increasing in popularity, Lenci hired artists and one of them was assigned the task of creating the 1923 catalog which was to showcase all the types of characters and dolls they were producing going back to the early dolls like the 15 inch 108  Series Fat baby from the 1923 catalog pictured above  as well as the new dolls for 1923. With new artistic input and synergy there was a rapid development of production with culminated in the beautifully refined child and lady dolls produced from the mid 20’s to the early 30’s.

1920 Lenci Ad

I am looking for  more picture  to share on the website so if you know of any please let me know. Continue reading

Closing Prices for Lenci Dolls on Jan 14 Theriaults auction

This was the live proxibid auction of Theriaults “Other People’s Lives” – Session II, Antique Dolls on Saturday, January 14, 2012. The highest price of this selection went to lot 399 a very rare ethnic doll “Hottentot” from the mid 1920’s in great condition with original outfit and accessories, closely followed by a rare googly, autumn from the seasons collection of 1931. The Pola Negri doll with silk hair in a white dress with felt trimmings that was attributed to Lenci  – in my opinion it looks more like a  Perotti of Brazil  – it sold for $4,000. Joao Perotti was a former Lenci worker that started his own company in Brazil and made dolls using molded felt similar to the Lenci dolls, but using cheaper materials like the silk hair, and usually they are dressed in spanish costume and their felt trimmings often use zig zag edging (which is rarely seen in Lenci dolls)  like the flower in the hair of this doll.

Rare Italian Brown Felt Character Doll by Lenci with Original Costume and Jewelry 1200/1700

Lot # 399

16″ (41 cm.) Slender girl of reddish/brown felt with swivel head, elongated throat, pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing eyes, white eyedots, dot brow…more

Sold for: $7,750.00

Extremely Rare and Wonderful Italian Felt Googly by Lenci Known as “Autumn” 3000/4000

Lot # 242

19″ (48 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, large round googly eyes in brown painted downcast expression, outlined eyes with curly lashes, sli…more

Sold for: $7,500.00

Rare Italian Felt Doll by Lenci, Inspired by Mary Pickford, from “Poupées Salon” Series 2500/3500

Lot # 238

28″ (71 cm.) One-piece felt head and torso with refined slender shape and pose, her head inclined to the right with uptilted chin, side-glancing blue eyes in defined eye …more

Sold for: $6,750.00

Italian Felt Character Doll Portraying Josephine Baker by Lenci 5000/7000

Lot # 401

18″ (46 cm.) Plumply-shaped light brown wool felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing painted eyes with white eyedots, curly lashes,…more

Sold for: $6,500.00

Early and Very Rare Italian Felt Spanish Lady by Lenci with Superb Costume and Painted Teeth 2000/30

Lot # 235

29″ (74 cm.) Felt swivel head with elongated strong throat, head positioned to look sideways, strongly-modeled facial features, brown side-glancing eyes with black upper …more

Sold for: $6,250.00

The Rare Italian Cloth Portrait Doll by Lenci Depicting Valentino as “The Sheik” 4000/6500

Lot # 237

30″ (76 cm.) Felt swivel head with firmly-pressed and painted facial features, strongly-defined cheeks, jaw and nose structure, painted brown side-glancing eyes, painted …more

Sold for: $5,750.00

Wonderful Italian Felt Doll Depicting Actress Pola Negri by Lenci 2000/3000

Lot # 236

29″ (74 cm.) Felt swivel head with very elongated strong throat, oval-shaped face with pressed and painted facial features, brown-side-glancing eyes with brown encircling…more

Sold for: $4,000.00

Rare Italian Felt “Bellhop Googly” by Lenci, Model 563 from 1928 Catalog 1200/2000

Lot # 330

23″ (58 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, very chubby cheeks, large shaded-blue side-glancing eyes with pronounced white accent dots, grey e…more

Sold for: $4,000.00

An All-Original Italian Felt Character Girl, 109 Model, by Lenci 1200/1700

Lot # 334

23″ (58 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing eyes, dark upper eyeliner with painted curly lashes, white eyedots, grey lower…more

Sold for: $3,200.00

Wonderful Italian Felt Sunflower Girl from Series 110 by Lenci 1100/1500

Lot # 332

18″ (46 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing eyes with pronounced shading and white accent dots, grey eye shadow, painted b…more

Sold for: $2,200.00

Italian Felt Character, Opium Smoker with Pipe, by Lenci 1500/1800

Lot # 400

11″ (28 cm.) All-felt doll with plump swivel head, amber-tinted complexion, high domed forehead with high comma-shaped brows, modeled closed eyes, long painted lashes, cl…more

Sold for: $1,800.00

Early Italian Felt Doll by Lenci Depicting Spanish Lady with Wooden Fan 1200/1800

Lot # 236.1

24″ (61 cm.) Felt swivel head with uptilted face on long slender neck, original darkened complexion, well-defined chin and cheek bones, painted facial features, side-glan…more

Sold for: $1,500.00

Italian Felt Glass-Eyed Googly Known as the Merry Widow by Lenci 1200/1700

Lot # 331

19″ (48 cm.) Felt swivel head with firmly-pressed facial features, blue glass flirty googly eyes, long painted curly brown lashes, high arched brows, upturned rounded no…more

Sold for: $1,500.00

An All-Original Italian Felt Character Girl, 300 Series, by Lenci 900/1200

Lot # 333

17″ (43 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing eyes with grey lower eye shadow, painted brown curly lashes, accented nostrils…more

Sold for: $1,500.00

Italian Felt “Barefoot Winker” by Lenci in Original Costume, with Silver Lenci Button 1200/1500

Lot # 241

11″ (28 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, eyes sculpted to appear as though he is winking with painted blue left eye nearly shut, paitned la…more

Sold for: $1,400.00

Two Italian Felt Miniature Dolls by Lenci in Original Matching Gowns 400/700

Lot # 239

8″ (20 cm.) Each has felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, blue or brown side-glancing googly eyes, painted curly lashes, “O” shaped mouth, blonde mo…more

Sold for: $1,300.00

Two Italian Felt Miniature Dolls by Lenci 400/600

Lot # 402

8″ (20 cm.) Each has felt head with pressed and painted facial features, painted googly-like eyes, long curly lashes, rounded nose, closed mouth with pouty lips, accente…more

Sold for: $1,300.00

Italian Felt Glass-Eyed Googly in Organdy Gown 1100/1500

Lot # 405

19″ (48 cm.) Felt swivel head with pressed facial features, brown glass googly eyes with grey eye shadow and dramatic long curly painted brown lashes, slightly-modeled br…more

Sold for: $1,000.00

Two Italian Cloth Miniature Dolls by Lenci in Original Vibrant Costumes 400/700

Lot # 240

9″ (23 cm.) Each has felt swivel head with pressed and painted facial features, brown side-glancing googly eyes, painted curly upper lashes, comma brows, accented nostril…more

Sold for: $950.00

Upcoming auctions: Rare Lenci dolls at auction Jan 14 2012

Lenci Collectors will be delighted to see rare Lenci dolls on the block at Proxibid online auction on Jan 14 2012

Among the listing is a rare Rudolf Valentino Lenci doll and Lenci Lady dolls, Lenci googlies, plus rare ethnic Lenci dolls such as the early Chinese Opium Smoker with pipe and two black Lenci dolls, the smaller black doll with grass skirt  and the Josephine Baker Lenci  seen in the 1926 Lenci catalog. You can see an original 1927 Lenci catalog picture of the Rudolf Valentino Lenci doll in the 1927 Lenci Catalog slide show in the Gallery section.

Click here for the Lenci items on Proxibid

Read about Josephine Baker Lenci doll : Celebrity Favorites: Josephine Baker

Beware of Fraudulent Lenci Auction Listing on eBay

I just had an email from Stefanie the owner of this rare Lenci Spanish Lady doll to tell me that her pictures are currenty being used by another seller on ebay  who does not have her doll  – and her doll is NOT for sale. I searched ebay and found an auction using her pictures and a copy of english part of her description  at eBay listing no 130619111628. I am assured by Stefanie that her doll is not for sale and the person using her pictures is using them without her permission. She has notified eBay about this issue.

Her original auction was at this link and that auction is now closed.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160664965846#ht_1682wt_1138

Rare Lenci Spanish Lady for sale on eBay