10-09-2017 03:29 PM
HI I ACQUIRED THIS 20 PIECE SET TODAY....FIGURES 12 INCHES HI...SEEM TO~ BE CLAY~ PAPER MACHE ~ COMPOSITION....LOVELY COLORS..DETAILED HAND PAINTED....
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW APPROX WHEN MADE... CIECA? STAMPED ITALY ON PAPER COVERED BOTTOMS
10-09-2017 08:01 PM - edited 10-09-2017 08:03 PM
I have one with some of the same figures of the same height and same exact mold as these that was sold through Sears in the late 60's. I know because I was there when mom bought it.
My same Wise Man even has his nose chipped. Something about the shape of that one must have made the nose prone to damage.
10-11-2017 01:54 PM
THANKS.. do you feel your set and mne are fontanini...italy..i think so but someone at the fantanini store said..no...they are not..i think she is unaware of the early paper mache sets...i see alot of ' ours" definately listed as fontanini...i see mine as 1940's and 50's...
10-12-2017 09:51 AM - edited 10-12-2017 09:53 AM
Are your pieces marked Fontanini? Did you see my reply to your other post of a picture with a Fontanini set like yours? I believe mine is a Japan copy actually. I had to think about that a while. They are an obvious copy of your set though. Japan was notorious for that. I collect Hagen Renaker horses and the Japan copies of those horses from the same era command premium prices because they are so similar to their pricey counterparts.
If I have time later I will get my set out and take a picture. I will put a link at the end of this that will show a set very similar as mine that came from Sears. The figures are so close that I think it is safe to assume mine was being sold at the some time or shortly after yours. As a very young child I thought it was a good idea one year to stick my finger through the delicate paper covering on the bottom of each of my figures but I am sure they said Japan before I did that.
I haven't had my set out for a few years and now I want to know how close they were copied so I will try to get pictures this afternoon. I do know that in the month or so before Christmas many nativities are offered on Ebay and it might be a good place to look for a match to yours and possibly get some date info if it is being sold by a family member like me who remembers when it was purchased.
10-17-2017 05:47 PM
thank you angel~~ you have been very helpful..several folk on the fontanini site on fb said my set is NOT fontanini....cuz no signatures .....wondering if they are as valuable as fontanini...? i think they are gorgeous..look to be from 40's or 50's..say italy on bottom and are paper mache...wonder if there is any way to identify the maker....going to look at your link now..thanks again for all your help....if you find out anything more i'd be most interested....and let me be the first to say " MERRY CHRISTMAS ! !
sheila in delaware usa
i placed them on a 6 foot sled...they take it all up..plus more..! if i keep these i woulnt know where to display..maybe across my fireplace mantle..?we'll see...maybe they will sell during the holidays..i placed them on ebay !