Very Rare Italian Felt Character "Sam" with Grand Costume by Lenci

Live Auction

31" (79 cm.) Of brown wool felt,the art character doll has a swivel head with pressed and oil- painted facial features,large brown side-glancing eyes with white eyedots,dark eye shadow,lightly-defined black lashes,closed mouth with very full lips,paler lower lips,black very full wiry hair,stitched-on ears,jointing at shoulders and hips. Condition: good/very good,some fading of facial complexion and hair,a few moth holes. Comments: Lenci,the model appeared in the 1924 Lenci catalog as model 260,named "Sam" and presented as Moro Guardiana del Sultano (The Sultan's Moorish Guard) and was likely made for only one or two years. Value Points: exceptionally rare,Sam is wearing superb original costume intricate applique and embroidery on trousers and wristlets,fancy upturned slippers,diamond-point stitched turban,sash and having well-detailed ornamental wooden jewelry and original hand-painted wooden sabre in embroidered felt holster. Sam was a feature doll in the famed Hobby City Doll House Museum of California for many years.