Question; What do Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Snow White have in common? Answer: They have each been immortalized in the form of a kitschy little mid-20th century planter, fittingly called a “head vase.”
Head vases, also known as head planters, are small flower vases that were first produced for use by florists in the 1940s. They usually took the form of the female head and were sold with a small sampling of fresh flowers. Presented to the male populous as the ideal gift for the lady in his life, they became instantly collectible. Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day — if you wanted to please your sweetie in mid-20th century America, you acknowledged her special occasions with a head vase.
As the popularity of these little ladies grew, professional potters entered the market. Early examples from 1945-1955 lead the way in both quality and desirability as a collectible. The works of Betty Lou Nichols are among those most highly sought by collectors. With their intricately curled hair, fabric ruffles and three-dimensional eyelashes, they are the creme de la creme of head vases, and in the proper venue can bring several hundred dollars. Other names to watch for include Ceramics Arts Studio and Dorthy Copley. The more desirable of these will feature period appropriate hats, jewelry and some can be found with a shapely hand poised beneath the chin.
A heavier ceramic vase known as a “Glamor Gal” surfaced for a short time in the late 1940s. These will have painted features, pin-up girl characteristics and classic 1940s hair styles. While they are of some interest to beginning collectors, they are of a lesser quality than the works from Ceramics Arts, Copley and Nichols and of little interest to serious collectors. Some of these were incised with the words “Glamour Girl” on the bottom. Others are simply marked U.S.A.
As head vases grew in popularity imports from Japanese manufacturers like Enesco, Lefton China and Napco flooded the market, driving down prices and in many cases sacrificing quality. Some of these will be found with a makers mark stamped on the bottom. Others were unsigned or marked with a foil paper sticker. It is important to understand that having a mark doesn’t always make a head vase more valuable. Value relies more heavily on the popularity of the design, the detail of the decoration and the rarity of the piece. Marks are, however, very helpful as a tool for identification.
The motivation behind a collection can take a number of forms. Some collect vases from a set time frame, or a specific company. Others collect by category, looking only for Disney characters, religious figures or head vases that characterize celebrities. (Jackie Kennedy, Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe being the most highly sought.) There are also those who collect by the size of the vase which can vary from 2-14 inches and still others that only look for those with specific jewelry, hair styles or hats.
By the end of the 1960s interest in the popularity of the head vase waned and by the early 70s U.S. production and imports ceased. But fear not, would-be collectors! It is estimated that during their 25 year run, over 10,000 variations of the head vase were created with thousands of each produced.
To learn more about this area of mid -20th century collecting, pick up a copy of The Encyclopedia of Head Vases by Kathleen Cole. A quick review of current online sources show the best deal available from Barnes and Noble for $29.95. Until next time…Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in senior down-sizing and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or follow her on FB at FaceBook at www.facebook.com/WhatsInTheAttic
