Mystery Masks

Here is an interesting one.  Two black plaster walling hangings.  35 x 28 inches.  From an estate sales, no other information available. 

So what do you think? Romanesque?  Interior decor?  Your guess is probably better than mine....

Plaster Molds

Below is a mold made of plaster of Paris in the image of George Washington.  Used for molding chocolate. Maker unknown.

Pan or Satyr Head

His is an example of a hand made plaster face.  It has pointed ears and horns and overall seems to be a depiction of of fawn or satyr, perhaps Pan. Although not in very good condition is is very well-made and expressive. My best guess is that is is part of some kind of theater prop. Any information or opinions abut original, construction, purpose or age appreciated.

Arlington Heights Thrift Shopping

You can find multiple examples of chalkware in just about every thrift or resale store.  Here are a few examples from Arlington Heights, IL.

Goodwill

Wings

Lucille

Salvation Army

Under Investigation: Dog Heads

Three vintage unpainted dog heads, unknown mold, possibly one-offs.

My best guess is that these are home-made molds from various sources, cast in plaster.

Under Investigation: Stag Heads

Home made (?) plaster deer

Modern stag head

Bossons' Dogs

W. H. Bossons, Limited of Congleton, England was founded in 1946. Bossons produced Dogs of Distinction between 1969 and 1996.While many people collect Bossons pieces they were manufactured in large quantities and most of them are not particularly valuable.  While age and rarity vary, $10-$20 is typically a fair price.

Basset Hound

Poodle

Labrador retriever

Boxer

Scottish Terrier

Alexander Backer Company

1950s/1960s era busts of a girl and boy in Victorian style.  Made by ABCO or Alexander Backer Company of New York. These busts are widely available.

World Art

World Art portrait printed on chalkware

Under Investigation

Two chalkware busts in gold frame; made as one piece. 1950s?

At the Alamo Antique Mall, San Antonio, Texas (2016)

Some Bosson Heads

Something mid-century, not a maker that I know

Interesting carved wooden mannequin (right)

Marwal

Art Marwal Industries Inc was a Miami based producer of art and decor. Incorporated in 1962 it seems to have produced decorative chalkware throughout the 1960s and seemed to have closed in 1978. Their busts were predominantly Polynesian, Spanish and reproductions of classic statuary.

Examples

Hawaiian (with earrings). ~$10

? (with turban). ~$15 in good condition ~$5 as shown

I have seen this one listed as a Indian woman, Polynesian boy and quite a few other variations.  I am seeking the official listing, if anyone knows it.

Spanish, ~$10

Are "Ethnic" Busts Culurally Insensitive?

One thing many manufacturers of chalkware bust or molds have in common is that they make figures to represent different ethnicities or nationalities.  The way these figures are depicted is often somewhat exaggerated and may even fit into certain stereotypes. 

A collector of chalkware of this type needs to be aware that they are displaying material from the middle of the last century (predominantly 1950s-1970s).  Every object has its place in the history of the decorative arts, but not every piece should be displayed out of context. 

While an exaggerated figure of Robin Hood or Sherlock Holmes is relatively harmless, one of an "African" or "Indian" person references a genuine and living culture.  Specific examples will range of merely decorative to potentially insulting in using extremes of caricature or perpetuating negative stereotypes.

Chalkware of this type is a less pronounced example of the problematical historical material such as American antiques depicting African Americans, or War propaganda posters depicting Japanese people, or any vintage material that uses a language of derogatory stereotype and insult that is now largely obsolete.

My personal collection of predominantly female busts exhibits a milder kind of fetishization of "exotic" cultures which combines a celebration of ethnic and cultural difference with a kind of naïve appropriation. However most of these works still function robustly as genuinely decorative objects that are somewhat cartoonish but not, as best as I can discern, insulting. Specific items clearly cross this line, and I avoid collecting or displaying items of that type.

However this line between celebration of diversity and perpetuation of unconscious bias can be a fine one.  I would welcome any comments on this topic. I have not seen it discussed online or in the vintage collector literature.

World Gift

World Gift (Japan) make smaller scale busts at 6-7 inches in height. I have found no information on the manufacturer so far, but would guess these were produced in the 1960s or 70s? They are marked as hand painted.

Examples:

 

 

Holland

Holland Mold is a producer of molds based in the United States operated from 1946 to 1997.

HM produced molds for use by individual crafters and does not manufacture busts themselves. This is reflected in the great variety of painted features and colors on the busts available on the second hand nd vintage resale market.

Examples

 

 

Lego Japan

Lego is (was ?) a Japanese maker of decorative chalkware.

Examples

#4505
Unidentified
Value: $20.00

#?
Hawaiian
Value: $20.00

#?
Unidentified
Value: ?

I am not 100% sure this one is Lego, it has similar and dissimilar

details. The base is very different

#?
Scandinavian
Value: $30