Piccola Monalisa

Mid-century design, you say? Nothing beats a doll from that period as today's story is bound to prove. A recent antiquing find, our flirty-eyed Bonomi bambola is a real 1950s treat. Made in Italy of painted Rhodoid (the trade name for a cellulose acetate plastic made by May & Baker Ltd. in England) our 18-inch lass is full of character and perhaps a good dash of mystery.

Monalisa, as she was named by our editors, came wearing a coral colored jumper over a playful tutti-futti print blouse with attached organza petticoat. The blouse's collar is a separate piece that closes in front with a hook and eye. A blue apron with patches allows her to paint, make-believe-cook, and tend to her baby and keep her dress spotless. Her golden leather sandals hint to her penchant for glamour. Her human hair wig is styled in an carefree bob with coquettish bangs. Much to our surprise, during the photo session, Monalisa uttered a charming cry! Little did we know she had it in her to be a crier doll too!

But it is her expression and her flirty eyes that capture our collective heart. Depending on the pose, Monalisa's gaze will smoothly travel from left to right giving her the much desired playful character. When she took a nap in between photos, (required by law when working with children) her eyes closed. Yet her smile kept on being, much to our delight. What keeps her so amused? We are still wondering.

Dolldom welcomes any information that our readers may possess about our darling Monalisa and Bonomi dolls in general.