4.5" Ceramic Doll Made in Japan No Arms but some charm........

I have put this in the Pottery category because there is NO TOY category!!

Just found this amputee in that dreaded treasure "box under the basement stairs" and was wondering if it has any age or value. Worth investigating?

4-1/2" tall
Unglazed bisque (?)
It is translucent - you can see the light from the arm holes when you are looking at the back on an angle
Appears cold painted, including the body colour (see the photo of the heels)
Obvious (almost sloppy) seams on both sides














Thank you in advance.......................

 

It looks to be an "unofficial" bisque Kewpie "Flapper" Style doll, made sometime from the 1920's to the end of the 1940's.

These made in Japan dolls were not licensed & are not considered "real" Kewpie dolls.

People do collect these, but they don't seem to bring much money whole, let alone missing their arms.

 

Thank you! I never even considered this a Kewpie. We had a collection of those that sold rather well a few years ago. I'll probably toss it online at a rock bottom price in the event that there is a crafter out there who doesn't require the arms!

 

Absolutely! Kewpie flapper.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/391391023837536972/

 

According to this doll collector site, collectors call these "Betty Boop" dolls.
It looks like the taller dolls have more elaborately painted eyes than the 4.5" shorties.

Via: Vintage Doll Collector - Your reference guide to 20th century dolls
Vintage Bisque and China Dolls
Many Japanese all bisque dolls are jointed only at the shoulders, like the “Betty Boop” dolls pictured above. These have nothing to do with the cartoon character Betty Boop – it’s just a name that collectors use.

 

Where did you get my arms? Give'm back! Como n, I need'em...............

on second thought the one pictured is a 7", mine is 4.5". Those arms would transform my Kewpie Flapper into a Skew-eyed Gorilla.......

 

Betty Boop she is - though without the appendages I guess she's a Bett Boo

 

Or a "Bett Boo Hoo"

Sorry, Mansons, but as I so often say around here "I simply could not resist."

 

That, Madame, is my mantra.........................