This has definitely been the Year of the Mannequin for Mr. Karswell, as last week I scored yet another bare and slightly bruised beauty from a local antique mall at a ridiculously low price of $40. Unfortunately missing her bottom half and all of her limbs, my friend came to the rescue a few days later and hooked me up with some arms, though minus the hands which are apparently very hard to find (see the end of this post.) And after much online research and some super knowledgable input from a couple of the finest mannequin experts in the midwest (thank you Brad and Clint), it turns out she's a late 70's Decter mannequin, and possibly from their incredible line of roller disco themed "KnockOuts." And since it is October, I immediately set to work getting her ready for Halloween with some hair, a mask, choker, and most importantly some hands, which are basically just my elbow length skeleton gloves that I've already had for over a decade now. I think keeping her topless, though covered, adds a bit of Lady Godiva loveliness meets Devilman Lady mystery = Lady Godevil. She looks pretty damn good, does everyone not agree?
Very cute, and pretty solid for a 70s mannequin -- don't see a lot of cracks, etc. Mine's got the same kind of metal lock/key mechanism (with marker writing) on the arms.
ReplyDeletePainting is really good on the face, did you repaint at all? Really excellent quality for the age!
I just realized I put a couple sentences into saying how well something from the 70s held up. That might reflect badly on me, who was a kid in the 70s!
She does look damn good. Torso from here, arms from there. She's the cutest Frankenstein in town. Stay on the lookout for a cute seventies chassis and some hands from a strangler; once she's done, hookin' her up to the lightning rod will be a cinch.
ReplyDeleteWhat a doll!
ReplyDeleteI'm only mildly ashamed of you for making her a blonde (they're so overrated!), but she's really beautiful. Agree 100% with keeping her topless with just the long hair for coverage -- like a proper pin-up, you have to leave just a little something to the imagination!
ReplyDeleteI think you should give her two bloody stumps for Halloween
ReplyDeleteWith that wig on her she looks like she is alive, or was she once alive but was changed into a mannequin for disobeying her master (or am I giving away one of the secrets of the Great Karswell?)
ReplyDeleteOne good use for her is as follows: If the Karswell family have to go out of town for a few days, she could be propped up in a chair near a window which would trick any burglar passing by into thinking someone was at home house sitting.
Great find Karswell, thanks for sharing.
>Painting is really good on the face, did you repaint at all?
ReplyDeleteI have not, but I do plan to touch up her lips a little where some of the lipstick has worn away
>hookin' her up to the lightning rod will be a cinch.
Haha, IT'S ALIVE!!
>What a doll!
My living doll / life-sized action figure :)
>Agree 100% with keeping her topless
When in doubt, leave the clothing out haha
>I think you should give her two bloody stumps for Halloween
That would've definitely been a good idea if I hadn't been reminded about my awesome skeletal gloves
>am I giving away one of the secrets of the Great Karswell?
Shhhhhh! The Great Karswell hath officially shushed yee! ;)
Thanks again for the comments, I'm sorry I've been bad about replying to comments lately, October is always a cluster F of scrambling to put together worthy posts for the greatest month of the year. Lots more on the way too :)