Impressive Hakes Auction Results on String Holder Set

In the immortal words of Robin the boy-wonder..."Holy Crap Batman!"

Talk about impressive!  Hake's Americana just got $12,776.50 for a complete set as described in this series of posts.  Thank goodness I already have them!

Alice, Mad Hatter, and March Hare Soap Bars

Quite possibly one of the most unusual items in the collection is this set of 3 bars of soap featuring Alice character decals.  I don't really know when they are from, but the art and 'technology' of the soap feels 1950s, nor do I know the maker.  I found them in a box of several loose bars of soap along with a Snow White and a Dopey, long since gone.  If anyone has any idea as to when, where, or by whom these were made, please let me know!

And yes I know, these are old bars of soap.  I never said I was reasonable in what I collected, just...focused.

Unknown Maker String Holder - Cheshire Cat #406

Last but not least, the Cheshire Cat, #406.  One of the very few vintage figures of the Cheshire Cat that I am aware of, and perhaps the only domestic figure of the Cheshire Cat to be released prior to the 1960s.

This concludes the set of string holders.  While I do not know who the maker was, I do have a copy of the original advertisement for this set.

Based on the ad, it looks as though they may have been sold as whiteware, to be painted at home.  The paint job on these is quite good (for the most part) and I have seen a second Mad Hatter that is virtually identical, so perhaps you could get them either way.

The set retails for $7.50, or $1.25 each, which in current dollars is equivalent to $10.50 each.  Not bad.

Here is a picture of the full set complete with string hanging from their mouths.  This one's for your Major ;-)

Unknown Maker String Holder - Tweedles #405

As with the Goebel figure here we have a bit of a cheat.  String holder #405 is both Tweedledee and Tweedledum.  It make sense, no one really want two heads on their wall this scary. 

Actually, this is one of the better modeled of the set, but still...

Unknown Maker String Holder - Queen of Hearts #404

Perhaps the scariest of the bunch is #404, the Queen of Hearts.

Only a strong stomach and an innate desire for complete sets made this desirable for me.  I love a complete set.

Unknown Maker String Holder - White Rabbit #403

Third in the series is the White Rabbit, #403.  I must say that this is the best rendered of the set, most on model, least scary, however you want to put it.

As with all the others, it bears the © WDP copyright along with its stock number incised into the body of the string holder itself.  Unusual, I would have thought it would have been on the back side rather than visible while hung up.

Unknown Maker String Holder - Mad Hatter #402

Next in the string holder set is #402, the Mad Hatter.  I can't say that these are attractive, but very cool in a kind of grotesque way.

I believe that these are licensed, as they all bear a © WDP, but I don't have a date on them.  I can only assume 1950s, mostly because they made a full set, and that usually only happened during or around the original release, and string holders slowly faded away after the 1950s.

Unknown Maker String Holder - Alice #401

Taking a break from the live action reference photos, we now begin a series on something I never knew existed until 2 weeks ago.  A series of string holders, apparently from the 1950s, made of what is typically called chalkware, but in reality is more of a bisque fired pottery or whiteware.

Alice here is first in the series, with her WDP copyright and item number 401.  I do not have a maker on these yet, I have not been able to find an appropriate maker in the TOMART index and these do not appear in either the campaign book or the CMD catalog.

Mystery Alice and White Rabbit Salt & Pepper Set

The last of my mystery series, another pair of salt and peppers, this time featuring Alice and the White Rabbit.

The White Rabbit is clearly taken from the Shaw White Rabbit as seen here, but the Alice is a true mystery. She is like no other figure I've seen so far. I've come across a couple of these sets over the years, but as always, unmarked. I believe these to be unlicensed too.

Mystery Tweedledee and Tweedledum Salt & Pepper Set

Today's mystery figures are a pair of salt and pepper shakers featuring the form of the Tweedles. These are clearly taken from the Shaw Tweedle figures see in this post.

I believe these to be unlicensed, and again no markings of any kind.

Mystery White Rabbit Bookend Bank

Continuing with my mystery figure series, next up are these White Rabbit combination bookends and banks.

These are apparently from England, as all the ones I have seen and acquired have come from there. I'm not exactly sure of the date on these, but I'm guessing late 1960s or early 1970s since the White Rabbit figure is a copy of the first version of the Disneyland figure.

There are no markings on these of any kind. The bank (or money box as they say in merry 'ol England) consists of the bookend part of the piece, not the figure. The slot is in the top, and there is a rubber stopper in the bottom. I have also seen these in brown.

Mystery Queen of Hearts Figure

Today's mystery figure is of the Queen of Hearts.

Again, no markings of any kind on this figure. It has a similar look to the Walrus from yesterday, although I suppose it could be a Weetman as I've never seen one, or it could be a knock off. As always, any information is greatly appreciated.

Mystery Walrus Figure

Here's another figure from the 'I don't know what this is' section of the Tulgey Wood.

This Walrus is a complete mystery to me. At one time I wondered if he could be Wally Walrus, but now I don't think so. He is holding a cane and a cigar in his hands, just like the Walrus from Alice, and he doesn't appear to have visible tusks, again like the Walrus from Disney. There are no markings on this whatsoever. I don't think it is a Weetman figure either, because I have a Weetman Walrus with the original label, as shown here, so unless they made two different figures, it's not Weetman. Of course, I can't ignore the fact that it could be an unlicensed figure. I would greatly appreciate any information on this figure from anyone out there.

UPDATE:  I now have it on good authority that this is English, and by Weatherby or Falcon Ware, most likely from an abandoned series from 1958.  I'm awaiting my reference book, and when I have it in hand, I'll publish a full updated post.