P250
From Pauline's collection. Pre-1939. A unique PAIR of full-figure character half dolls. Some half dolls were inspired by literary characters or characters in cartoons, movies or other entertainments. The Brothers Grimm were German scholars who were best known for publishing collections of folk tales and fairy tales. They produced several volumes of tales before their deaths in 1859 and 1863. The tale of Hansel and Gretel was included in their works. This model of the siblings was produced in both composition/plaster and in porcelain. This is the porcelain pair of full-figure half dolls, Hansel and Gretel. He is dressed in green pants, yellow hat and purple jacket. She has a pink skirt, green apron. He is Mr. Perfect with no condition issues. Gretel has a small kiln flaw on the front and a shallow sliver chip on the base on the back. Each figure is incised with their name on the front and Germany on the back of the yellow decorative base and are mounted on a red full-bristled clothes brush. It is very unusual to find them for sale together. A unique pair of "fairy-tale character" half dolls for your collection.
Maker: Unknown maker, Germany.
Size: 4 1/4" half doll only, 8" overall. Condition: The Hansel brush is in excellent condition. Gretel has two issue on the base, a small sliver on the front and a larger sliver on the back. Together they display exceptionally well. See additional pictures.

P254
From Pauline's collection. Pre-1939. Personality half doll. Some half dolls were inspired by actual historical personalities. This lovely large, bisque, nudie half doll is identified as "Lady With Ring", Elizabeth of Austria (1837-1898), by the Goebel Company that produced her. Nicknamed, "Sisi", she was married to Emperor Franz Joseph I. While Franz Joseph was passionately in love with her, she did not reciprocate his feelings. Restless and emotionally distant from her husband, she fled him and court life as much as she could. While travelling in Geneva in 1898, she was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni. She is depicted removing her gold ring, perhaps a symbolic gesture of her troubled and distant relationship with her husband and separation from court life. Despite her positive identification as Elizabeth of Austria, her bald pate is covered with a blond mohair wig and regional headdress of the French Alsace region. This is inconsistent with the actual empress' appearance and nationality; she was neither bald, blond nor French! It becomes obvious that a previous owner took artistic and historic license with her appearance and bestowed a blond wig and French regional headdress on her bald head. Regardless of her identity crisis, whether an Austrian empress or a French peasant, she is an exceptional half doll.
Maker: William Goebel, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 6, pg. 27.
Size: 5 1/2" h. Condition: Excellent.

Maker: Ernst Bohne Sohne, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 5, pg. 17.
Size: The half doll measures 5" h. Condition: Excellent.

From Pauline's collection. In 1986, The William Goebel Company issued a series of six classic half dolls using original vintage molds and designs from their archives. Each doll was produced in a limited edition of 5,000 worldwide. The Goebel brochure describes the dolls as "delicately hand painted heads and bodices adorning hand sewn gowns in billowing layers of lace and satin." The original vintage half dolls were sewn to a padded cover used to insulate a tea pot, keeping it hot while the tea brewed. They were known as "Tea Cozy" dolls. Now the reissued dolls rest on wooden stands for display. A porcelain plaque on the bottom of the stand is hand numbered, and each doll comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Wilhelm Goebel, chairman and chief executive officer of the Goebel Company (in 1986), and is in its original box. Over thirty years later, the dolls are available only on the secondary market, and the original molds have been returned to the Goebel archives. From the Goebel "Archive Collection", this lovely half doll is Empress Elizabeth of Austria. This description continues below with full-length pictures of the presentation.
Maker: William Goebel, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 1, pg. 73.
Size: approximately 10" h. Condition: Excellent. Comes with wooden display stand (porcelain numbered plaque on bottom), certificate of authenticity and original box (age related wear to box).

Empress Elizabeth of Austria (1837-1898) was the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and King of Hungary. She is shown removing a ring on her finger. Her porcelain bodice is sunny yellow with pink hand-painted flowers. She is dressed in a handsewn skirt of bright yellow satin with a lace underskirt and black ribbon accents. The Goebel brochure assures that, "Each doll has been given the same intricate detailing and careful workmanship as their antique predecessors." An interesting addition to your half doll collection.
Maker: William Goebel, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 1, pg. 73.
Size: approximately 10" h. Condition: Excellent. Comes with wooden display stand (porcelain numbered plaque on bottom), certificate of authenticity and original box (age related wear to box).

From Pauline's collection. In 1986, The William Goebel Company issued a series of six classic half dolls using the original vintage molds and designs from their archives. Each doll was issued in a limited edition of 5,000 worldwide. The Goebel brochure describes the dolls as "delicately hand painted heads and bodices adorning hand sewn gowns in billowing layers of lace and satin." The original vintage half dolls were sewn to a padded cover used to insulate a tea pot, keeping it hot while the tea brewed. They were known as "Tea Cozy" dolls. These reissued dolls rest on wooden stands for display. A porcelain plaque on the bottom of the stand is hand numbered, and each doll comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Wilhelm Goebel, chairman and chief executive officer of the Goebel Company (in 1986), and is in its original box. Over 30 years later, the dolls are available only on the secondary market, and the original molds have been returned to the Goebel archives. From the Goebel "Archive Collection", this lovely half doll is Madame de Pont. This description continues below with full-length pictures of the presentation.
Maker: William Goebel, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 1, pg. 73.
Size: approximately 10" h. Condition: Excellent. Comes with wooden display stand (porcelain numbered plaque on bottom), certificate of authenticity and original box (age related wear to box).

Madame de Pont (circa 1870) represents the people of the French region of Alsace who chose always to be a part of France. Although Alsace was ruled under German and French kingdoms for centuries, the people of the region always considered themselves French and proudly wore a tiny French tricolor rosette button on their hat. This Alsace woman is dressed in the fashion of the day, adorned with rich embroidery on her black velvet skirt and white apron and wears the lavish Alsace regional headdress. The Goebel brochure assures that, "Each doll has been given the same intricate detailing and careful workmanship as their antique predecessors." An interesting addition to your half doll collection.
Maker: William Goebel, Germany.
Reference: The Half Doll, Lorrin, Vol. 1, pg.73.
Size: approximately 10" h. Condition: Excellent. Comes with wooden display stand (porcelain numbered plaque on bottom), certificate of authenticity and original box (age-related wear to box).