" Hi, Clinton. My vent figure arrived today. I want to thank you for a job well done - he looks great." Phil
Written earlier: "I would like to know if you can possibly help me out . I have a vent doll that is in need of some repair. There are cracks on the face chip near his lip, broken rubber band that controls his eyes. I have had this little boy for about twenty years and used to use it quite a bit. I would also like to know if you can tell me who created this doll. I was told that at one time he appeared on the gong show and the person who had him used him in a magic act." Phil 
Written earlier: "I would like to know if you can possibly help me out . I have a vent doll that is in need of some repair. There are cracks on the face chip near his lip, broken rubber band that controls his eyes. I have had this little boy for about twenty years and used to use it quite a bit. I would also like to know if you can tell me who created this doll. I was told that at one time he appeared on the gong show and the person who had him used him in a magic act." PhilFrom Clinton: There were no notes, cards markings or signatures on or within the head of this figure, so positive identification of the figure maker is not easy. But I have seen enough of Howard "Howie" Olson's work to be at least 95% certain he was the maker. The photo below shows the head with repairs in progress.
Hello Clinton,
ReplyDeleteI want to throw another name in the hat. this face of the dummy looks like the work of one certain master dummy maker, the cheeks and the lower jaw movement were his signature workmanship, especially when the vent mentioned magic, it looks like the creation of the Kentucky Colonel, Bill Boley. whatta ya' think??
Could be a Boley, I suppose, except Bill almost always put his business card inside the heads of his figures. And this one is made of the white "plaster" type material that Howie Olson used. I don't know that Boley ever used that material...
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