Lenci Dolls. Lenci was founded by Elena Konig Scavini in Italy in 1918 and is still in business today. Elena was left alone while her husband, Enrico, went off to war in 1918. During this time, Elena and her brother Bubine Konig made the first felt doll in the Scavini’s apartment. Bubine steam-pressed the faces and Elena did the artistic work. Lenci dolls are of excellent quality. References: Antique Trader Doll Makers & Marks: A Guide for Identification
A fine Lenci 300 series felt boy doll
The moulded felt face with painted features, side glancing brown eyes with shading and short wavy auburn hair, swivel head to felt body jointed at shoulders and hips, wearing all original felt tan shorts, white shirt and bow tie, knitted orange, blue and yellow cardigan and socks with leather shoes, (excellent condition), 46cm (18in) tall. Sold for £750 at Bonhams
A pressed felt Lenci Ballerina
with blonde hair and cloth body with felt limbs wearing a pink organdy dress with frills, remains of leaf decoration and beadwork and later silk ballet slippers –27½in. (70cm.) high (felt slightly faded and dusty, organdy torn and faded); and a papier-mache Japanese baby doll with brown eyes and black hair, wearing traditional outfit –15in. (38cm.) high (some cracking to body) (2) Sold for GBP 504 at Christie’s
Lenci Felt Doll
Depicting a boy in formal attire, in original box. Sold for $900 at Doyle New York
1930’S LENCI JIGGS COMIC CHARACTER DOLL. 18′ tall, superb depiction of Jigg’ s complete with trade mark cigar, top hat and cane. A great looking doll. Excellent May have some possible restoration. Sold For: $825 at Milestone Auctions
1920’s-30’s Lenci doll felt with painted features, original outfit and hat, measures 20″ tall. Sold for $210 at Stephenson’s Auction
Two Lenci Dolls representing a caucasian boy in a cardigan, shirt and shorts; cloth; made in Italy by Lenci, 1927-8 and a caucasian girl in a jumper and skirt; cloth; made in Italy by Lenci, 1927-8 Victoria and Albert Museum
VERY RARE ITALIAN FELT LENCI DOLL, “MIMY”, KNOWN AS MARLENE DIETRICH. 29″ (74 cm.) Felt swivel head of angular adult shape, with pressed and painted facial features, narrow brown side-glancing eyes with delicate grey eyeshadow, painted upper curly lashes, fringed brows, accented nostrils, closed mouth with hint of smile, hole in mouth with cigarette, short blonde hair in side-parted bob. The body has a felt shoulderplate sewn over very slender and firm muslin torso, stitch-jointed shoulders of muslin arms with bent elbows, felt hands, muslin legs jointed at the hips and sewn with knees posed for sitting sideways, high heel feet. Condition: generally excellent, slight fading, few tiny pinhead moth holes. Comments: Lenci, 1926, model 533, named “Mimy” in the Lenci catalog, designed as a portrait of Marlene Dietrich as inspired by a drawing of the era of Marcello Dudovich. Value Points: very rare Lenci model is wearing her original organdy dress, pantalets, stockings rolled at the knees, gold heeled shoes, double strand of pearls, pearl earrings, original cigarette, and original wooden high stool for posing. Sold for $2,800 at Theriault’s
Lenci Makers Mark / Label c1921
‘Lenci’ was the diminutive form of Elena Konig Scavini’s name by which she was known. Her family was of German descent, and she studied art in Düsseldorf from 1906-1908, remaining in Germany until just before her marriage in 1915 to Enrico Scavini, who eventually became her business partner. Elena and her brother started making Lenci dolls to supplement her income while her husband was away fighting during World War I. The felt which has always been their most characteristic material was evidently readily available, even during the war, probably thanks to Turin’s cloth-producing industry. In 1919, the name Lenci was finally registered as a trademark by Enrico Scavini, and the letters were also said to have been used by the company to spell out the motto “Ludus Est Nobis Constanter Industria” (Play is Our Constant Work), though it should probably be ‘ludus est noster constanter industria’. Victoria and Albert Museum
