Bathing Beauty of the Week

Ms. #458 balances on one knee as she stares intently at the golden ball held in her right hand.  The art deco period produced an entire genre of slim athletic nudes balancing balls as they danced, so  perhaps she is in the midst of a dance routine.  Her complex pose required multiple molds and she is of excellent bisque.  By William Goebel, this belle of the ball is 4 inches tall and is incised “i746” under her right thigh.  Her molded dark pink pumps are edged in yellow; trimming molded shoes with contrasting colors was a typical Goebel technique.  She retains her original, although disheveled, blonde mohair wig.  Goebel wigs were often little more than a hank of mohair wrapped around the head and held in place at the sides with small decorative pins and they tend to unravel over time.