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L180 Vintage Josef Originals Lot 2 Figures Minute Ante Bellum Series Caroline For Sale
LOT # 180
Detailed Photos
L180 VINTAGE JOSEF ORIGINALS LOT 2 FIGURES MINUTE ANTE BELLUM SERIES CAROLINE
Item Description
We offer for your offerding consideration Two HTF Josef Originals includes Lady in Blue....untitled but part of the "Minuet Series" standing 8" tall and valued at $125-135 in same edition. This piece has a matte finish. Most of Muriel's work was done with a glossy finish AND "Caroline" from the 1850 Ante-Bellum series, stands 7" tall and is listed at $120-130 in an earlier volume by Jim and Kaye Whitaker titled Josef Originals Figurines of Muriel Joseph George (2000) on page 57. They also show a 1965 date with this piece. Some of the other pieces in the 6 piece series include Melanie, Amanda, Linda Louand Laurel. Later reference editions show a price of $160-170 for figures in this series. REFERENCES: OUR THANKS TO JOSEFDOLLS.COM FOR HELP WITH IDENTIFICATION AND A GREAT SITE FOR JOSEF ORIGINALS COLLECTORS. HISTORY: Before the Second World War, Muriel Joseph was a jewelry maker, producing Lucite jewelry under "Muriel of California." World War II changed all of that. Lucite was largely unavailable to the public during the War, so Joseph turned to making jewelry from ceramics. Muriel's fiancé, Tom George, returned to Southern California at the end of the war but was unable to work. During his hiatus, George started making molds of Joseph's models. Ultimately, the two married, and in 1946 started producing California ceramics under the name Josef Originals. Yes, there is a story behind the name "Josef Originals." The name was supposed to be spelled "Joseph," but the printer made a mistake on the first set of labels that were ordered. It was too late to change the labels. The orders were in and the ceramics had to be shipped. So, "Josef Originals" was born. Josef Originals was one of the many ceramics producers who opened in Southern California and across the United States in response to the postwar prosperity. And, like all of the other ceramics producers in the United States, Josef Originals suffered when cheap imitations started being imported from Japan. Muriel stepped up to the challenge by producing finer ceramics. However, since these ceramics cost even more, Josef Originals continued to lose sales to Japanese imports. In 1959, after forming a partnership with George Good, a representative and distributor of other California ceramics producers, Muriel and Tom traveled to Japan to train workers at the Katayama factory to produce Josef Originals. The days of producing Josef Originals in California were over. Business boomed again for Josef Originals. Muriel remained active in Josef Originals for another twenty-odd years, until she retired in 1981.
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L180 Vintage Josef Originals Lot 2 Figures Minute Ante Bellum Series Caroline:
