German Bisque Art Character by Kammer and Reinhardt with Important Provenance

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18" (46 cm.) Bisque socket head with expressively modeled features of pensive expressions, painted shaded blue eyes, black upper eyeliner, single-stroke brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth with very full downcast lips, blonde mohair wig, composition and wooden ball-jointed body, wearing original costume and shoes. Condition: generally excellent, original wig, body and body finish. Marks: Simon & Halbig K*R 114 45. Comments: Kammer and Reinhardt, 1909, the doll was sculpted by the company's own modeler Karl Krausser, and was marketed as Hans or Gretchen, depending upon the costume. Value Points: in exceptional state of preservation including original wig and costume. Provenance: The doll was preserved in the private possession of the Reinhardt family until its acquisition by Marianne and Jurgen Cieslik, and is accompanied by extensive Reinhardt family documentation, albums, ephemera and photographs. Private Collection of Marianne Cieslik. The model for the 114 character doll was Carlo Geisler, the toddler grandson of Franz Reinhardt. Although the doll was an exact portrait of young Carlo as shown in the vintage photograph (included here) and in the commemorative 25th anniversary booklet of K*R, it was determined that it would be more effective to market the doll as Hans, rather than Carlo.