Lenci Company
Lenci 500 all
original tagged
Lenci 300 doll all
original
Lenci 111
Lenci, the nickname for Elena Konig Scavini, is synonymous with highest quality felt dolls and the art deco years between the
first and second world wars.  Elena Kong Scavini was born in Turin Italy with an Austrian mother and German descent father in
1886.  Her father died when she was only 7 years old, leaving her mother to raise older sister Anili, Helga, Gherda, and younger
brother Bubine.  Ultimately, Elena moved with her mother to Lousanne, Switzerland where her mother found a job as an
interpreter.  Elena expanded her own horizons by working Switzerland, Austria and Hungary then finally to Germany where her
granfather had lived and was well remembered.  In Germany, she worked as a lace cutter and then as a traveling saleswoman
for a competing lace company.  Her job was lucrative and she was able to save some money allowing her to return to Turin.  
There she was strongly influenced by her Bohemian friends so much so that she moved to Dusseldorf to attend art school to
learn photography.  She signed her photograhs with her nickname, Lenci.  

While in Dusseldorf, she met an American, Mr, Lipp, Enrico Scavini and many artists studying in the area who would ultimately
influence the world of dolls.  For six years, Elena lived, studied and enjoyed the artistic life of Dusseldorf.  In August of 1914,
Germany declared war on France.  As was the custom of the time, the police informed Elena and her sister that they would have
to choose their loyalties and their residence in light of those loyalties.  At the same time Enrico Scavini reappeared in Dusseldorf
and proposed to Elena, returning her to Turin.  Helga stayed in Germany, her Austrian born mother was returned to Austria
while Bubine served in the military.  Communication during the war was none existent so that Elena focused on building her own
family.  

Elena gave birth to her daughter Gherda in 1917--at the befinning of the Spanish influenza epidemic.  The baby died in infancy.  
Elena was devastated.  Desiring to make children laugh during anything but a happy time in history, she turned her artistic skills
to making dolls.  Not the porcelain dolls she remembered but her favorite doll--a rag doll that could take on any personality she
wanted.  A doll that could be played with and inspired by and imagined as anything possible was the doll Lenci wanted to
create.  

Lenci's first attempt at making dolls employed canvas with joints at the knees and elbows to create a clown and a chubby little
girl.  Heads were formed in the shape of a ball with four pieces of cloth.  The dolls faces were painted, shoe button eyes were
sewn on and yellow yarn was attached for hair.  Fighting the sorrow of the baby's death, making dolls was at times soothing and
at times too painful.  Her commitment to the dolls was established when the son of her building manager was observed laughing
and playing with one of the experiments she had created.  

Her initial attempts at doll making produced caricatures that were not well received by the market place.  She began
experimenting with different fabrics and techniques to get the doll she envisioned.  Working with an old felt hat, she was able to
mold facial features. She contacted Borsollino, a hat making firm, to produce a thinner and softer felt more applicable to her
needs.  Her brother, Bubine, recuperating from his bout with Spanish influenza created a steam press Lenci could use to form
the doll heads.  

Enrico had returned from war.  His business partner dissolved their company, leaving Enrico to find other sources of income.  
During this roller coaster time, Elena was working on her dolls, Enrico building his family income, Elena became pregnant.  As
happy as she was, so devastated was she, when she lost the baby at in the second trimester.  The dolls that had been a source
of solace for her after the first child passed became a painful reminder that she had no child for whom the dolls would make
smile.  

The war ended.  Elena was able to find support from her mother and sister as well as many of her art friends from Dusseldorf
including Mr. Lipp.  As Mr. Lipp and many of these same artrist friends visited the Scavini's not long after the miscarriage, Enrico
showed the dolls to him.   He decided to buy as many as Elena could produce in a month as he delayed his trip back to the U.
S.  With the help of her artist friends, Lenci shipped her first order of dolls to Mr. Lipp waiting in Naples.  He had sold all of the
dolls he had with him on the trip by the time he returned to the U.S.  He cabled Lenci for another 300 dolls.

In 1919 Enrico applied for a trademark which was granted in 1921.  According to Lazenby, "...the trademark was a spinning top
surrounded by the Latin words: Ludus Est Nobis Constanter Industria." (p24).  The letters of Lenci's name became the motto of
the company, essentially Play is Our Constant Work.  Enrico applied for patents to protect their processes within the United
States (granted 1921), France, Italy, and Great Britain.  There were many other cloth doll manufacturers using their own
processes as well as those who appeared to copy the Lenci product.  

Initially, the dolls faces were mask faces sewn to the back of the head.  That was in fact what Enrico applied to patent.  At the
same time, Mario Franco applied for a patent for his Margot Doll Company which specified the face mold on a larger cloth which
formed the whole head without the seam around the face.  The Margot Doll Company went out of business shortly afterward.  

Lenci's dolls appeared in Playthings in October 1920 with model numbers beginning from 101 and progressing up.  Mr. Lipp
was not the direct distributor.  Distribution was placed with Ernst & Hermann initially of New York City and then addressed in
Zurich Switzerland.  By 1923, only Charles Ernst was listed as the "Supervisor of the American Branch of Lenci Di E. Scavini".  

During this time, Enrico and Lenci set up a factory in Turin.  And, in 1921, Lenci gave birth to her daughter.  The company grew
rapidly from 20 employees in 191 to 650 employees in1922.  GiGi Chessa, the designer of the boxes joined the company.  
Product lines included not only dolls but also hats, handbags, sewing baskets, tea cozies, egg covers, felt flowers, clothing and
costumes for children and adults.  

In 1925, Lenci gave birth to her son Carlo.  By 1928 Kirsch and Reale became the Amerocan distributors for Lenci.  Moussilini
intervened in the doll making by demanding that "all dolls made in his country have long hair" (p28 Lazenby).  Unfortunately, at
this time a world wide recession depressed pricing and negatively impacted the company.    During the good times of the early
1920s, employees received health and dental benefits as well as profit-sharing benefits.  During the recession, Scavinis were
loathe to lay off employees.  Instead the sought alternate products by producing ceramics.  

The personal investment to fund this expansion was drastic.  Combined with the events during the depression including
bankruptcies of customers, fire destroying dolls warehoused in New York, and the disappearance of bank credit lines, the
Scavinis realized assistance was critical.  The investors introduced to them in 1933 by their supplies were Pilade and Flavio
Garella.  They became managing partners.  Within two years, the brothers had eliminated all products from the line except the
dolls, the ceramics and a limited line of clothing.  But by 1935, trade sanctions imposed around the world when Italy declared
war on Ethiopia, curtailed the profitability of these products.  The brothers solicited contracts with the Italian government to
produce cloth goods (uniforms, blankets and sheets) for the military.  In 1936, the Scavinis sold the balance of the company to
the Garellas to focus their time on Enrico's failing health.  As part of the contract, Lenci was paid for five years to design for the
company while at the same time including a non-compete claus preventing Lenci from designing for anyone else.

Enrico died in 1938.  By 1940, it was clear that the factory was suppling the military not creating the happiness Lenci had
envisioned.  She opted to separate herself from the Garella brothers as their focus was different from hers and she had no real
purpose.  The brothers interpreted this as a breach of her contract and opted not to compensate her for the balance of her
contract (through 1941).  Elena, Anili and Carlos moved to a home in the Italian hills.  Elena dies of natural causes in 1974.

Series Number           Size                                                Identifying Features                                 Picture
































































































































































































































































































































































































































Garella Production

Catalogs were no longer produced showing new dolls.  Lazenby suggests that the dolls in the 1933 catalog continued to be
sold.  Kimport notes in 1939 they would carry Lenci dolls only in regional costumes.   Glass eyes dolls appeared in 1937 but
there is no indication that the new designs developed by Lenci under contract with the Garella brothers after 1933 were ever
produced prior to World War II.  After World War II, a toddler doll with a chubby face appeared made of very firmly pressed felt
that may have been designed by Lenci prior to her separation from the company.  The 11 inch size was identified as a Series
BC and the 23 inch size of the same doll was Series BP.  Dolls of this time are often found with floss wigs as mohair was in
short supply during the war.  If found, the tags were heart shaped.

The Garella brothers produced this doll made from plastic with flocked hair in the 1950s.  This was also the time of the plastic
Prosperity Baby.  These dolls usually have a cloth tag sewn to the doll or its clothes identifying Lenci Torino.  If found, a
cardboard tag may be sewn to the clothing. The tag reads "Modello Depositato//Lenci Sa//Torino//Made in Italy.

By 1956, the brothers reintroduced other items such as baskets, bouquets of felt flowers and wooden games.  The only felt
dolls found from this time are the Disney characters produced under license with Disney.  

In 1964 Beppe Garella, Pilade's son, became president of the company and continued to make plastic dolls in regional
costumes through the 1970s and 1980s.  These dolls had a round silver foil tag.  There were 54 different styles, some pairs and
some of special characters such as the Vatican Guards.  They were souvenirs and sold throughout Italy.  Lenci was not
exporting to the United States at this time.  Dolls of the time that are found have a wire armature.  Much of the clothing was
made of many fabrics, not primarily felt, and was sewn on is such a way that a separate body was unnecessary.  Faces were
not molded.  The appeared to be more caricature then character.  Beppe pursued the market for advertising premiums more
than the market for toys and dolls.  The company made the Snuggle fabric softener bear for the European market.  

During the late 1970s, Beppe Garella capitalized on the nostalgia for the quality toys of pre-war times.  Dolls of old molds with
high quality materials were produced.  Small changes such as synthetic wigs instead of mohair were made.  These
reproductions appeared in 1979.  They were packaged in a blue velvet case with white satin interior.  The case was a double
door that closed with a suitcase type hinge.  They were limited to production of 999 and came with a certificate of authenticity.  
Other dolls followed including one 21 inch doll, Chiara, presented to Princess Diana.  Of course, similar dolls were demanded
by collectors so a 13 inch version was made, limited to an edition of 999.  

Upon her father's death in 1992, Bibija Garella took over the company.  (The little 111 shown above is from 1929 and the family
collection of Bibija Garella.  It was shown in the book of Lenci dolls by Marco Tosa in 1989).  She replaced the synthetic wigs
with mohair and limited the collection editions to 499 instead of 999.  Ten to fifteen new dolls different from the historical molds
were added annually until 1997.  She marketed through the Nuremburg Toy Fair as well as directly to the public via Home
Shopping Network.  Each doll had a booklet tag and certificate of authenticity.

During this time Bibija introduced two new collections.  The Futura collection was manufactured for the German market and
distributed by Sigikid.  The Res Naturae collection, like the Futura collection, was made to be played with.  These dolls were
made of natural materials such as merino wool, kapok filling and human hair wigs.  

In 1997, Bibija and her mother sold the company to her brother, Lazzaro.  Lazzaro named his company Bambole Italiane while
producing dolls under the Lenci name.  He sold off the old stock, introduce new models, such as the 13.5 inch Four Seasons
dolls with the BC face, and resurrect the ceramics.  A few ceramics were produced but the company closed in 2001.

Series                                          Size                                            Identifying Features                  Picture


































Anili Production

Elena gifted her daughter Anili with four original sculpts for dolls in 1946.  This allowed her daughter to start her own doll
business separate from the Lenci name and company.  Bubine Konig, Anili's brother made the molds and the dolls were
manufactured by Mazzuccheilli company of Castiglione Olona.  These dolls were sold from 1948 to 1956.   The original dolls
were celluloid, not felt.  In 1953, felt dolls were produced in conjunction with the celluloid dolls.  In 1954, Anili built a new factory,
hired many of the workers who had made dolls prior to World War II, and created dolls to rival her mother's.  features were
handpainted, Anili finishing all of the eyes herself.  The distinguishing characteristic of Anili's dolls were the multiple eye
highlights in the side glancing eyes and the series of vertical lines forming the eyebrows.  Unlike the Lencis, eyelashes were
painted above and below the eye.  Most of the dolls can not stand (while Caricatura can stand, can not sit) as they have tab
joints.

The dolls were popular in France, Switzerland and Germany as well as Italy.  They were imported into the United States in the
1980s by Joyce Kintner and Shirley Bucholtz under the company name of Pittsburgh Doll Company.  Unfortunately, in violation
of Elena's agreement with the Garella Brothers, the name Lenci appeared in some of the advertising, and the original Lenci
company under Beppe protected its trademark by legal action.  The Pittsburgh Doll Company stopped using the name Lenci but
by 1989, Anili stopped producing her dolls.  

There were six doll types:
  1. 23 inch Grugnetto with either a grumpy or slightly smiling face
  2. 17 inch Caricatura a toddler
  3. 27 inch Cenerentola with the Grugnetto face and long legs
  4. 17 inch Liz a more mature looking doll with slender body
  5. 23 inch Midinette a long legged boudoir doll with the Liz face
  6. 12 inch Miniatura a child

Series                                          Size                                          Features                                     Picture
























According to Lazenby, Elena "gave her daughter one piece of advice: "Never let your company become so large that you lose
control of it." (188).  Anili took her advice, limited production and exportation of her dolls.  She closed her company after she had
made all the dolls ordered prior to the sale of her factory in 1986.  

Lazenby, Nancy.  Lenci The History and the Dolls.  Reverie Publishing Cumberland Md 2007.
Lenci 109 and 500
dolls
Lenci Boudoir Dolls
Googlies
Lenci 400
Lenci 149 and 150
Lenci 111, 2000,80,
450, 900 and Rita
(Lucia face)
Lenci 360 (70)
Lenci miniatures,
Mascottes, and
series XX dolls
Lenci 1500
Anili Dolls
Garelli Year Dolls
Early Dolls
1919-1924
  Mask faces, ears inserted into the seam around face
(double layered ears on dolls over 12 inches).

Child dolls have eyebrow dots.

Hair is thick and sewn to the head.

Mitten hands.

No elastic stringing.

Stuffed with excelsior.

Characteristic of Lenci, the dolls have zig-zag stitching.
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Bouidoir Dolls
15.5-48
inches
All dolls made after 1924 have a head constructed in one
piece-no seam around the face.

two faces for these dolls-Gish (illus) and one with half
closed eyes

Head and arms of felt, muslin for torso and legs--legs
attached with tabs to allow sitting

Stockings up to hips

Generally wear high heels

Hands have individual fingers except second and third
which are sewn together

Left arm straight, right arm bent

Lots of eyeshadow, lashes, no eye dots

Top lips are darker than lower

Lower lip sometimes has 2 highlight dots
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 109
23 inches
Early 109s similar to early dolls.

Completely made of felt

hair applied in strips of wefting

side glancing eyes, no eye dots

individual fingers except second and third stitched in midline

Disc joints at hips, shoulders and neck

Usually stamped Lenci on foot
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 500
21.5 inches
Completely made of felt

Hair is rooted into scalp

side glancing eyes, no eye dots

individual fingers except second and third stitched in midline

Disc joints at hips, shoulders and neck

Usually stamped Lenci on foot
Googly-Eyed Dolls
19-20.5
inches
glass or painted side glancing eyes

head and torso of felt

one piece legs with seam in back

feet attached at ankle, no toes stitched, cardboard in foot

five individual fingers on hands

disc jointed leg and neck joints, shoulder joints tabbed

heads are hollow

no lower lashes

eyebrows raised in molding

ears are double layered

Hair is mohair, rooted around face, wefted on head, braids
and ringlets added
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 110
18-19 inches
Early dolls are 18 inches with mitten hands, later dolls 19
inches with fingers

almond shape eyes

two highlight dots-one white and one lighter than the eye
color, no eye dot.

no lower lashes

upper lip is darker than the lower which has two highlights

head and body of felt

disc joints--no elastic

double layer ears

quilted pattern on sole of shoes

rick rack at top of socks

foot is sewn at ankle, stitched toes
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 300
17.5 inches
Jointed at hips, shoulder and neck

fingers sewn separately except for the two center fingers

foot is sewn to ankle, toes are stitched

script Lenci on foot sometimes

double layer ears

eyes look to the side with two highlights and a black dot in
the pupil

no lower lashes

darker upper lip, sometimes highlights on lower lip

Hair is usually but not always rooted
Series 1500
17.5 inches
Grugnetto (grumpy) face

Jointed at hips, shoulder and neck

fingers sewn separately except for the two center fingers

foot is sewn to ankle, toes are stitched

script Lenci on foot sometimes

double layer ears

eyes look to the side with two highlights and a black dot in
the pupil

no lower lashes

darker upper lip, sometimes highlights on lower lip

Hair is usually but not always rooted
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 400
16-16.5
inches
Long legged teenage girl

bodies are usually felt but can be cloth

hair is rooted

disc joints at hips neck and shoulders

eyes are concave and side glancing

fingers are separate except for the center two

double layer ears

stamped Lenci on foot
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 149
16 inches
child older than toddler but younger than teenager

smaller version of the 110 face, may have a broad smile
and teeth

almond shaped eyes

two eye highlights, one white and one lighter eye color

hair is mohair sewn to the head

ears are double layer sewn to the head

two seams on the legs
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 159
16 inches
Toddler proportions

Round eyes

two eye highlights, one white and one lighter eye color

hair is mohair sewn to the head

ears are double layer sewn to the head

two seams on the legs
 
Series 111
13 inches
wigs may be rooted  or sewn onto scalp

Before 1926, mitten hands and disc joints.  After 1926,
hands with separate fingers except middle two are sewn
together

Side glancing eyes with two highlights, one white and one
lighter eye color

Dolls before and through 1922 have dot eyebrows, 1923
and after were normal eyebrows

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Series 2000
13-14.5
inches
wigs may be rooted  or sewn onto scalp

Very rare variation of the 111 or 450 made for a few years
only.  These dolls were exceptionally dressed in elaborate
coats and hats over fancy dresses but standard doll faces
of 111 or 450.

Side glancing eyes with two highlights, one white and one
lighter eye color

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip
 
Series 80
14.5 inches
wigs may be rooted  or sewn onto scalp

Series 111 head put on a 14 inch doll body resulting in a
more mature looking doll

Side glancing eyes with two highlights, one white and one
lighter eye color

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip
 
Series 450
13 inches
wigs may be rooted  or sewn onto scalp

Side glancing eyes with two highlights, one white and one
lighter eye color

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip
 
Series 900
14 inches
Floppy logs

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip
 
Rita (Lucia face)
14.5 inches
wigs may be rooted  or sewn onto scalp

Before 1926, mitten hands and disc joints.  After 1926,
hands with separate fingers except middle two are sewn
together

Side glancing eyes with two highlights, one white and one
lighter eye color

double layer ears

zigzag seam down the neck

usually two highlight dots on lower lip

Felt head and ears but body may be felt (early) or cotton

disc joints

flannel arms
 
Series 360
(Series70)
10.5 inches
proportions of a toddler

hair is rooted

disc joints at hips and neck

tab or disc jointed arms

bodies are cloth

eyes are side glancing

mitten hands

single layer ears
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Mascottes,
Miniatures, Seres
XX
6.5-9.5
inches
surprised eyed face with side (uo up down) glancing eyes
on miniatures

hair is usually rooted

mitten hands

if ears, single layer

highlights on lower lip or lighter color lower lip

miniatures are 9 inches, if floppy legs, 8 inches

Series XX with bent legs are 7 inches tall

heads swivel

legs have disc joints

arms are stung except on floppy legged dolls
Miniature
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
                    Mascotte


Miniature
Fetishes, Winkers
and other
Characters
   
Fetish above, Winker below
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Babies
16-21 inches
21 inch babies:
bent baby legs
bodies, legs and arms of felt over metal
hands are slightly closed
feet have stitch defined toes
ears are double layered
hair is rooted
side glancing eyes
lips are lighter than the mouth

16-17 inch babies (Anili baby):
face of the 159 child with side glancing eyes
mask face
bodies are felt
disc joints at neck, hip and shoulders
mitten hands
legs are four pieces of fabric with feet sewn on
hair is rooted lower lip has two highlight dots

Bambino felt babies:
16 inches
disc joints
bent baby legs
toes are defined
feet are rounded on the bottoms
hands have separate fingers except for the center two
ears are double layer
hair is rooted
eyes are side glancing
lower lip is lighter than upper and may have highlights

Prosperity babies are made of molded cloth
bent baby legs
cloth bodies have disc joints
molded hollow bodies are strung
crier box
hair is usually painted
eyes may be painted or sleep
upper and lower lips are the same color
While it looks and sounds like plastic when tapped, the
body is molded buckram with layers of paint.  In a strong
light may be able to see the warp and woof of the fabric
molding includes dimples, wrinkles and baby fat rolls
by the 1950s the dolls were strung plastic
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
Prosperity Babies
BC
12 inches
 
BH
19 inches
Uses the 300 Series head
Grugnetto
23 inch
   
Caricatura Toddler
17 inch
   
Cenerentola
27 inch
Grugnetto face, long legs
 
Liz
17 inch
Mature looking doll with
slender body
 
Midinette
23 inch
Boudoir doll with the Liz face
 
Miniatura
12 inch
child doll
 
Fetishes, Winkers
and Characters
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby
courtesy Nancy Lazenby