Napco Hand Painted Head Vase, Planter, 5 7/8" in Light Blue with Matching Hat

Beautiful Napco head vase, planter in light blue with matching hat.

Measures 5 7/8" and she is marked C3959C, Copyright symbol Napco, 1959 along with the silver foil National Potteries Co., Cleveland, O, Made in Japan label.

She features blonde hair, a light blue top with a light blue hat to match that has a polka dot ribbon around it.

It is a beautiful piece having no chips, cracks or hairlines. She is missing the faux pearl earrings, which are extremely easy to replace.

Head vases originally were called "Florist Ware" back in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Japan was one Country to source many low-cost exports to the United States, which included head vases. In the States there were producers such as Betty Lou Nichols Ceramics, Roseville, Royal Copley, Royal Haeger, Shawnee Pottery, Standford Pottery and Weller.

Head vases were made in a variety of designs. The elegant, model looking head vases became one of the most popular. The faux pearl necklaces and earrings, hair bows, eyelashes and applied textiles were the most sought after. The manicured hand quickly became distinctive. You can see a bit of elegant femininity within some of the pieces.

In the mid 1960's, the elegant head vases peaked and designs became simpler and most often smaller. This was to reduce costs and increase profitability. Earlier head vases topped 8" in height, newer ones were often 3" to 4" tall. Head vases today are very collectible and are many times what they used to be in value. Some depict A-list personalities, while many can be identified by their hallmarks and you will also find some that do not have any identifying marks at all. It is the subject's hair or clothing that will tell you item's age, if not its manufacturer. (Information credited to: Collecting Head Vases by Barron).