Rare Pair of All-Original German Cloth Characters by Bing

Live Auction

9.5" (24 cm.) Each is all-cloth with firmly-pressed and oil-painted facial features and hair,soft brown swirling curls,painted blue downcast eyes,curly upper lashes,single stroke brows,closed mouth with pursed lips,muslin firmly-stuffed body with disc-jointing at shoulders and hips. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Bing Kunstslerpuppen of Nuremberg,circa 1921,the exact dolls were shown in their 1921 catalog (see Cieslik's German Doll Encyclopedia,page 28). The Bing firm was purchased that year from Albert Schlopsnies,who had also designed the cloth caricature doll series for Steiff. Four years later,Kathe Kruse sued Bing for copyright infringement of the doll model. Value Points: rare pair of dolls with a fascinating spot in the history of early 20th century art dolls,wearing original costumes and with flawless painting.