Mystery Miss

The maker of this lovely lady is so far unknown. Similar luscious lasses have appeared on this blog, and while they share a family resemblance, all are unmarked. They are all of fine bisque with exceptionally delicate and graceful hands and wear pink painted slippers with molded, but in some cases undecorated, single straps. Although I have seen femmes by this mystery firm advertised in various antiques venues as by Galluba and Hofmann, these figures have much more realistically proportioned bodies than Galluba's idealized ladies and the facial painting is far less detailed, lacking Galluba's trademark intaglio blue eyes with deep pupils highlighted with a dot of white, typically outlined in black, with red upper lid lines. She is 3.25 inches high. 

 

Turkish Delight!

I recently acquired yet another creation by the Zaiden Toy Company. At 13 inches tall, she wears her colorful, if rather revealing, exotic outfit.  Zaiden advertised its dolls as being made from the "famous Zaiden Wood Fiber Compound, with high celluloid enamel finish." Although the finish retains its bright skin tones, it also has a tendency to crack over the decades as the underlying wood fiber contracts and expands due to heat, cold, and humidity, as demonstrated on this adorable odalisque.

This Zaiden maiden came in the remains of her original box, which includes the label with the faint stamp indicating that she is "Turkish." I could not find any information about Overland Products Corporation, other than it is listed as the assignee of Zaiden's patents. 

When wound via the key in her back, this harem honey shimmies her upper torso as her hips appear to slowly undulate. Zaiden applied for a patent for a mechanical dancing doll in 1922, stating, "This invention relates, generally, to improvements in. dolls; and the same has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of mechanically operated dancing doll adapted to perform rhythmic movements in simulation of Eastern and South Sea Island dances, and dances of a similar character." This Turkish delight certainly simulates the "rhythmic movements" of the East!