What I Collect #1 Esther Hunt Busts

These chalkware heads are by Esther Hunt and

other artists she inspired. They date from 1914-1925.

Photograph courtesy of "Esther Hunt, A Collectors' Guide" by Donna R. Yick, Poco Books, San Francisco. Most of her artwork features Chinese women and children in lovely robes and headdresses.

She won a medal in sculpture at the Pan American Exhibition in 1915, San Diego, Ca.

Here's three of her smaller size heads: from the left,

Cherry Bloom 1923, Peachflower 1923, and Au Wu 1912.

Peachflower is 8" tall, to give you an idea of size.

These busts are by Leon Fighiera from around 1925. These are more like Gypsies, but he

did Chinese style heads also. He was in San Francisco in the 20s and may have been in business with Esther Hunt exporting their busts. (The one on the left is a little over 9" tall.)

These two heads are from Florence Arts-- untitled style. (Almost 12" tall.)  One on the left is

midway or prize painted. This was painted quickly and lightly to be given away as a prize.

The one on the right is older, the mold was sold to the companies that provided the carnival prizes afterwards. Designs for these busts were stolen and borrowed from Hunt. She testified to congress about the need for strong copyright protection for artists.

Want to know more about these heads? Check out "Esther Hunt, A Collectors' Guide".

It's available on Ebay and Amazon. (And also features her paintings, prints and postcards.)

Along the carnival busts, there were also busts that were sold blank as craft projects. You may find ones with strange paint colors and blonde hair. It's probably a do it yourself project.

Happy Antiquing and collecting!