Passed
Click image to enlarge
Description
16" (41 cm.) Black-complexioned felt, swivel head with very plump face, applied felt eye whites and lips, tinted nostrils, black shoe-button eye pupils, black tightly-looped yarn hair, black felt torso and limbs, plump torso, jointing at shoulders and hips, short plump legs, separate fingers. Wearing reed skirt that is interwoven with felt ribbons, wooden bead necklace with carved and painted snake, and snake and tiger wooden earrings. Marks: Lenci (2nd issue round metal button inscribed Lenci, attached to purple ribbon at back). Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Lenci, one of the rare earliest models, the doll was shown in the first Lenci advertisement of 1920 and was included in the 1919 Printemps ad described as "#15 Negre" for a price of 115 fr. Value Points: wonderfully-preserved early doll with hand-painted wooden jewelry. The model was known to be a particular favorite of early film star Marlene Dietrich as seen in this early photograph of her holding the doll.