This is a Vintage MCM Gemma Taccogna Style Paper Mache Folk Art Head, Wig or Hat Stand, or Bust of a Lady Sculpture. The paper mache bust has a beautiful, hand-crafted and hand-painted figural form and features a stylized bust of a lady wearing a tied bonnet and coordinating clothing in shades of blue, white, beige, red and brown. The hat stand head measures approximately 7.5" long x 6.5" wide x 14.5" tall and is in good vintage pre-owned condition. The delicate paper mache has surface cracks and paint chips in a few places. Please see pictures for details. This piece is marked on the bottom, "Nick Cortes, 128 West 67th Street, Apt. 4E, New York, NY, 10023." I believe this to be a personal property stamp NOT a maker's mark. The form and style of this piece aligns most closely with the early work of Gemma Taccogna. It is possible that this unsigned piece was one of the original hat display stands created for Mr. John when she worked for him in the 1940s, before she began selling her work in the boutique that he opened. 


All items sold are pre-owned and may show normal signs of age and/or use. Any further condition issues (chips, cracks, excessive crazing) will be specifically mentioned. Please check pictures carefully and ask any questions before buying/bidding.


Vtg Gemma Taccogna Paper Mache Folk Art Head Wig Hat Stand Bust Lady Mexico MCM


About the Artist:

"Gemma Taccogna (1923-2007) was an Italian-born artist who specialized in papier mache. Her parents moved from Bari, Italy, to the United States the year Gemma was born. They did not believe in toys, so when she was a child she made her own, inventing papier mache for herself, if not the world, by experimenting with paper and flour from her mother's kitchen.

In 1937, 14-year-old Gemma left home in Westchester, New York, and moved to Greenwich Village. To make a living, she painted store window signs, and whenever she had any extra money, she would take art courses at the Cooper Union School of Arts and Sciences in New York City.

When she was 18, she walked into the office of Mr. John, the famed hat maker, and showed him her work, hoping to get a job and collaborate with him. He was immediately taken with her talent, and he had her make papier mache busts on which he displayed his hats. He also opened a boutique to sell a variety of her pieces, including the open-top dolls and lipstick cases. By the time Gemma was 20, she was teaching art and selling her own paintings, and by the early 1950s, her work had been discovered and was being sold in stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nina Ricci, and Schiaparelli.

When in the hospital for an appendix removal, she met Dr. Juan Del Rio. They fell in love, married, and moved to Mexico City in 1954, where Gemma started a papier mache boutique called Artes Gemma, in partnership with California artist Fred Sexton. They created lions, ponies, cats, lipstick cases and compacts, as well as beautiful colorful bracelets. She also began to paint portraits." [Excerpt from Mid2Mod, an internet resource]