Vintage Folk Art Handmade Gould Anderson Papier-mâché Santa Claus Christmas Decor *SOLD*

Vintage Folk Art Handmade Gould Anderson Papier-mâché Santa Claus Christmas Décor

This piece is a highly detailed primitive folk art, hand painted papier-mâché Santa Claus. This is in great shape for its age and the material it is made from.  Papier-mâché has a long history starting around 200 B.C. in China under the Han Dynasty. Papier-mâché literally means “chewed paper”, “mashed paper”, or “pulped paper”.  It is usually a composite material that consists of paper pieces or pulp bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste. Papier-mâché can also be found reinforced with textiles.

Everything is intact with the exception of the dog’s tail and the wreath that that both have breaks, but they still securely on what we suspect to be a wire armature. The base says, “Gould Anderson”. We were not able to find much on if this was a person’s name or a company that produced papier-mâché décor. If you have any information please drop us a line and let us know, we are always on the lookout to learn new things.

Our example of this piece is in excellent all original condition with no restorations, repairs, or touch ups. The paint is in excellent overall condition with the usual dust, patina, scratches, scuffs and chips that are seen with age and play. The whole toy is approximately 7” L x 4 ¼” W x 11 ¾” H. We encourage you to examine the photographs to further determine condition and quality.