Rare German Bisque Art Character "Karl",Model 107,by Kammer and Reinhardt

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21" (54 cm.) Bisque socket head with elongated slender face portraying an older child,painted grey/blue eyes that are slightly side-glancing,thick black upper eyeliner,one stroke tapered brows,strong nose with accented nostrils,closed mouth with very full pouting lips,sculpted ears,brunette mohair wig,composition and wooden ball-jointed body,antique boy's costume. Condition: generally excellent. Marks: K*R 107 54. Comments: Kammer and Reinhardt,circa 1910,from their art reform character series,the model was sculpted by the renowned German artist Arthur Lewin-Funcke based upon his original bronze sculpture "Portrait of a boy"; the identity of this famous sculptor was not known until 1991 when research in German archives by Jurgen and Marianne Cieslik made the important discovery. The doll firm and the sculptor had deliberately kept their alliance private as the doll enterprise was considered a commercial endeavor and,as Cieslik noted,"Lewin-Funcke had taken his secret of being the father of the character doll movement to his grave in 1937" (German Doll Studies,page 227). The doll was made in only two sizes,this being the larger,and was marketed under the name "Karl". Value Points: the rarity of the model is rivaled by its outstanding quality of sculpting,flawless bisque and artistic painting,especially of lips and blush.