RARE DRACULA STATUETTE

Reproductions and knock-offs of this piece have been around for some years, but the one shown here is an original. Standing 8" tall this bisque casting of Dracula was done in the 1940s. Legend has it that Lugosi himself (or perhaps, one of his family members) was the sculptor, and only 35 were made to hand out to friends. Nevertheless, it is a marvelous little work of art and worthy of mention to Monsterologists. It is estimated to be valued for up to $10,000 at auction.

The statuette is shown at the bottom right in the picture above. Since Lugosi is seen with Santa, could it be possible that the pieces were created to be given as Christmas gifts?

Here is the description of the auction lot:
Dracula/Lugosi Statuette (c. Late 1940s). (8" x 2.5").
This is the famed ceramic statuette with glaze fired coloring, believed to have been possibly sculpted by actor Bela Lugosi himself and given as a gift to his friends. There were rumored to be only around 25 of the figures produced in the day. Of those 25 produced, only a very small handful are known to have survived. Richard Sheffield, a close friend of Lugosi was said to have been given one of the sculptures and made a mold from which he sold unpainted versions in Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and numerous resin copies have been sold through the years from copies of copies. This example is unbroken in any fashion and has fine crazing to the glaze in the face and white base from age. The figure comes with a handcrafted wooden base which the figure can be mounted on. From the Collection of Lynn Naron. Very Fine.