Penn Phonograph Co. Amelita Galli-Curci character display figure

[melvind]

In 1920 the Penn Phonograph Co which was a wholesaler and jobber for the Victor Talking Machine company created plaster dressed characters to be used in window and store displays at Victor stores. I was lucky enough recently to get an Amelita Galli-Curci figure that I have known about for more than 20 years. This same doll was documented in George Paul and Tim Fabrizio's A World of Antique Phonographs where it got a full page! The December 15, 1920 Talking Machine World magazine has a couple of paragraphs about the release of these figures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And later in the magaine:

 

 

Here are a few pictures of the Galli-Curci figure I have. It is quite elaborately dressed and 35 inches tall. It is heavy and made of plaster. The arms come off if you need to move it around and the feet have bolts in them that connect the figure to a wooden based covered in black material that is quite worn at this point. (Should I recover it with new black velveteen? Should I leave it alone?)

 

 

 

 

And the best part of all this is her backside has the copyright of 1920 for the Penn Ponograph Co stamped right in it.

 

 

The Penn Phonograph Co is probably better known for the 4 inch plaster Nipper Dogs we all love. They sold them to dealers all over the country and even the world. Here are a few ads from the same Talking Machine World magazine for the Nipper Dogs which they call Penn-Victor Dogs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by melvind

[melvind]

I was looking back in the 1920 Talking Machine World magazines before December and found that the very first announcement came in the October 15, 1920 publication. It tells a bit more about the entire line and which opera characters were to be released.

 

 

And, in November 1920 there is an article about a meeting of Retailers attending an advance recital of December Victor Records where the stage decoration included all 12 of the operatic figures. I wish there was a picture of that display!

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by melvind

[Oregonian]

It's a pleasure to see something of such rarity.  Most of us the "R" word very infrequently but your Galli-Curci warrants the description.  I wonder how many character dolls survived.  I'd wager not more than a very few.

 

[RodPickett]

Sweet!

[Stan]

Great article, Dan.    It's so important to document these rare finds.    Stan Stanford

[Tinfoilphono]

Absolutely amazing! I doubt many of these could have survived the past century. What a great find!

[melvind]

So, this morning I woke up and remembered I had seen a picture of some of the figures recently somewhere, but I couldn't remember where. So I looked through my Voice of the Victor magazines and found what I remembered in a Spanish version of Voice of the Victor from March 1921. I do not have the English version from that month so I don't know if it showed up there as well. My Spanish is pretty hit and miss, but from what I could make out it tells about them and how to use them. I believe you could order different figures in different costumes. If you look at the pictures the one on the bottom dressed as Margarita is the same figure as mine but with different clothing. I would love to encounter more of these one day. 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by melvind

[CurtA]

Your figure is amazing and obviously, mostly unknown.  I have never seen or heard of one and it makes me wonder if Luigi Biagiotti in New York had anything to do with manufacturing them, as he did with Pathe roosters and plaster church saints.

[CurtA]

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has one of these...

[melvind]

I'd also like to find one of the catalogs for the figures one day.  Yes, it would be interesting to know if anyone else has one of them. Maybe more pictures will show up eventually.

[L4tD]

Here is the page from the English Voice of the Victor

 

[RodPickett]

Thanks for posting this English version.   These figures are fantastic 

[melvind]

It's great you posted this. Thanks so much!

[shelly]

I COLLETT ANTIQUE DOLLS, FOUND THIS FIGURE.FOR INS.LOVE TO KNOW A PRICE?

[Henry]

Here is 913 Arch St. Philadelphia today: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9534681,-75.1554248,3a,60y,20.98h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sx_CUFRPg5zbOCRQFC35CwQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu . Sunshine  Furniture and Lighting.  In all probability the same building as when occupied by Penn Phonograph, judging by the architectural style (if you look past the more recent accretions).

 

The Galli-Curci doll is truly amazing! To my eye, it doesn't look very like photos I've seen of the great diva, who was no raving beauty but could she sing!!! 

 

To answer your question about the worn fabric at the feet, if she were mine I would not change a thing! Everything about her is stunning, including the hair (looks like actual human hair to me), the clothing, and the quality of the plaster doll itself. It's a treasure! 

 

I wonder how many of her survive? And how about the other dolls in the line? There can't be too many of these extant. 

 

WOW!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Henry

[CurtA]

"LOVE TO KNOW A PRICE?"

 

How much did you pay for it?  No one has seen these for sale, so there doesn't seem to be anything to compare...

[CurtA]

There is a hint in one of the announcements, stating that the sculptor is "well known".  The NY sculptor (Luigi Biagiotti) that made the plaster Pathe roosters was well known at the time for his sculptures and architectural enhancements.  He was famous for making "plaster saints" for many churches and decorated many NYC buildings.  I think he may have had something to do with designing these, since figural sculptures in plaster was his expertise.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by CurtA