Artist Santa 52in OOAK Stone Soup SIGNED Dated 1995. Retail $1,700 Pick-Up/Ship

  

52 INCH BIG 1995 OOAK ARTIST STONE SOUP MASTERPIECE "PUTTING ON THE RITZ" SANTA CLAUS. Almost Life-Sized Santa Claus in Circa 1920s Opera-Coat and Top Hat. Artist Masterpiece One-Of-A-Kind by Stone Soup Artists Shellie Robertson McCall and Richard McCall Russian Santa "Putting on the Ritz" 52 inch tall.

SIGNED AND DATED by the Artist Shelie Robertson (McCall). Vintage One Of A Kind Artists Creation. From the Owner's personal collection (Down-sizing as retiring). A REALLY big 52' Santa Claus named "Putting on the Ritz", by Stone Soup Artists Shelie Robertson McCall and Richard McCall.

This over four-foot high Santa was handcrafted in 1995 and is in good vintage condition, given he has been displayed each Christmas time for the past 25 years. Please Note: He is wearing an antique outfit, which has flaws consistent with its extremely old age. The biggest Santa Stone Soup makes, he is almost life-sized, and quite a character. "Putting on the Ritz" is a jolly fellow, smiling with dimples, bright blue twinkling eyes. SANTA CLAUS - STONE SOUP Artist Masterpiece One-Of-A-Kind "Putting on the Ritz".

Stone Soup Santas are individually hand sculpted, so each piece is a unique original creation. ABOUT STONE SOUP: We dedicate ourselves to the unique qualities of Christmas and the inherent joys emanating from the season. Richard and Shelie McCall began making Santa dolls in 1989 to give as gifts to their friends and thus began the art and passion that today is Stone Soup Santas, where they create magnificent Santa dolls from their home on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County California.

Richard creates the forms: sturdy, freestanding wood-and-metal armatures and Shelie sculpts Santa's polymer-clay head, hands and face. She also creates the costumes with fabrics that have a vintage feel. Stone Soup Santas were the covers of the Christmas Neiman Marcus catalogs for many years. Their Santas have hand-sculpted heads and hands, with stuffed bodies and limbs, and are dressed in vintage clothing and fabrics, with vintage Christmas sacks of toys that Shellie finds at antique shows. Under his Tibetan sheepskin beard, Ritz is hand signed and dated by the artist, Shelie Robertson (McCall) He has a sheepskin mustache and hair.

Costuming: Vintage black top hat of velvety material with a nice black feather. Inside the hat is the Original label with maker's name, and some small pieces of the fragile silk lining are still intact (see all the close-up photos). Circa 1920s Antique Evening Top Coat / Opera Coat in black velvet, which has frogging at the neck.

Back has tassels and more frogging. Many of the black beading trims are still attached. It has an insert of velvet, insert is golden leaf patterns. Accessories include an Antique 29 walking stick in excellent Vintage condition. Santa carries a pair of black suede leather gloves.

A fob watch is attached to his chest. Body is firmly stuffed and the top is a bodice with beading and sequins, and legs are velvet. Standing on a base covered in fake pine cones and fake fur.

Santa comes with a big and heavy velvet toy sack in black velvet with gold brocade and tied with vintage gold cord. Tucked in to the top of the sack: light brown teddy bear, a Vintage Christmas decoration, a very old doll and a little Vintage Christmas tree decorated with gold baubles. 15 x 22 inch sack of toys.

We enjoy our Store, and are proud to have thousands and thousands of happy and loyal clients, so we want you as a satisfied customer for years here at. Dollsville Dolls and Bearsville Bears. Proud to Serve Doll and Bear Collectors Since 1979.