Vintage Rare 1940s Art Deco store mannequin head . bust for display . small . elegant hairstyle and eyes

This lovely bust / mannequin head looks very emotional to me--and her moods change with the angle at which you view her. Sometimes she's amused; sometimes she seems a little sad. Sometimes she looks sarcastic, like lucille ball.

But she is always pretty, always elegant, with her swirly molded hairstyle and her 1940s emphasis on lipstick, not on eye makeup. I don't know what she was used to display.

She is not life sized. I think she probably presided over a makeup counter, or maybe she watched over a display of handkerchiefs or something else small. As said, she is not life-sized. She's about 14 inches tall.

You cannot use her to model big hats. You may just have to appreciate her for who she is, herself.

Her ears are pierced, but they seem to be able to handle only post earrings, and it doesn't seem possible to put the backs on. She wore earrings for her mini-movie. I could not get wires to hook through (i didn't try hard, fearing to damage her).

I think the holes were drilled well after the 1940s--ladies of that era did not pierce their ears. She is rather heavy (about 3.25 pounds), being made of something like plaster or what's called composition. She's in good vintage shape, with her paint mostly intact. She has stray marks and dings--no more than should be expected after eighty years. The video is the best display of her age marks and how little they really matter when you look at her beauty. But here's a catalogue of issues, some of which get their own photos above. A couple spots toward the back of the head where the paint of her hair has rubbed off (see video and photos).

Paint rub to the underside of her nose, not noticeable unless you look for it (see photo against the black--which also shows her lip and eye paint). The plaster there is actually intact; you could just touch up the paint and be fine (or leave her as she is). There are a few other stray marks--remember that she's had a life and a career.

She is actually in remarkable condition for her age, and someone experienced with old mannequins could probably clean her easily. She deserves love and a good life now, and she'll reward you with her loyalty. Feel free to request further photos, of course. This item is made of plaster and paint.