Leopard Antiques Rare Silver Sketch Girl Novelty Bell - The Sketch Magazine

Rare Silver Sketch Girl Novelty Bell - The Sketch Magazine

Reference: S1718 Period: George V Year: 1923 Silversmith: Mappin and Webb Place: London Price: $ 1 150.00 Weight: 159 (excluding stand of 63) grams Dimensions: 8.0 cm height excluding stand (12 cm with stand) Condition: Excellent, including original legs, clear ring. Possibly missing ballerina figure from tray, see below, also note hand palms. Description: A rare and interesting cast silver novelty bell, featuring "the Sketch Girl', who was the cover girl for "The Sketch" magazine. The figurine is a lady in Victorian costume, with a feather plumed bonnet tied with a bow around her neck, wide full skirt and cross pattern. She has a tray suspended from her neck, which holds a horse with jockey, and a marching soldier playing a drum, complete with bearskin hat. She has her arms outstretched, holding something in the palm of her hands. She has 2 clappers, modeled as legs complete with shoes, the bell works well, it has a lovely ring. The bell also has its original wooden stand, with a silver plaque on one side, attached by 4 silver pins, for engraving as a presentation (this one is original and has never been engraved). The hallmarks are clear, with exception of makers mark on bell, which is readable but not well struck. Both legs are also hallmarked, as is the silver plaque, which is also stamped MAPPIN & WEBB LTD. The Sketch was a British illustrated newspaper weekly, which focused on high society, royalty and the aristocracy, it operated between 1893 and 1959. It had a high photographic content, and focused on theatre, sports, news and short stories. Agatha Christie was a regular contributor, she wrote 49 short stories for The Sketch. It also published cartoons, most notably Bonzo the dog (see photo). Royal Doulton also produced a Sketch Girl porcelain figurine in 1923, it is a rare and valuable figure today as it was only produced in small quantities. It is very similar to this silver bell, but as it is much larger and coloured shows more detail. The Doulton figurine has 3 figures on her tray, the same jockey (representing sports) and soldier (for news), she also has a ballerina (for theatre). In addition, she has a small cupid (for love stories) and devil (for satirical humour) in her 2 hands. We believe the ballerina is missing from our example. However, the other other example we have seen of this piece which sold at auction (Bonhams Knowle, March 2011, Lot 60), is also missing the ballerina, so we are not sure it was originally present. This other example confirms nothing is missing from the hand palms, having the same shape and form as this one. Note the different spacing between hallmarks and MAPPIN on stand, confirming this is a different example. As can be seen from the photo of the cover of The Sketch magazine (price 1 shilling), both the Doulton figurine and this silver bell are very accurate copies, with all the detail except the figures held in the hand, which would have been to difficult to model.


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Silver Skatch Girl Novelty Bell - The Sketch Magazine


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The Sketch Magazine Cover showing original Sketch Girl


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Bonzo cartoon from Sketch magazine


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Silver sketch girl bell - wooden stand, silver plaque


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Silver sketch girl - detail


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Sketch girl tray - horse with jockey, drummer


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silver sketch girl - face


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Silver sketch girl - back of bonnet with feather


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Royal Doulton silver sketch girl - arms outstretched


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Dress detail, silver sketch girl


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Silver leg bell clappers, note hallmarks


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Mappin & Webb london hallmarks


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Mappin and Webb, silver plaque on wooden base


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Silver sketch girl side view

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