Another Find: Spaghetti Poodles

I love fun and kitschy objects of the 1950s. For pet lovers and canine enthusiasts many dog breeds were popular in the decorative arts and collectibles of the mid-century modern era. One of the most popular breeds was the poodle.

Elizabeth Taylor owned a pet poodle in 1955 and Audrey Hepburn appeared with two poodles at the photo shoot for her movie Sabrina in 1954. From poodle skirts to Glidden pottery featuring dog imagery, the poodle had a place in the American design aesthetic of the period.
Spaghetti poodle figurines spoke to an interest in the upper echelons of society, like Hollywood starlets, and pointed toward a cultural high style for home accessories. Atop many new mid-century modern television sets, there sat a family of white, pink, grey, or very rarely yellow ceramic Spaghetti poodles. Some were general figurines for a display shelf, some were more functional holding earrings or lipsticks on a vanity dresser and some were marketed in sets of three with chains or leashes attaching parent poodles to puppy poodles (mine).
Lifestyle blogger Yasmina Greco explains, “These items made people happy in the 1950s and 1960s and they continue to make people happy today with their bright colors, cute faces, charming expressions, and they add a touch of whimsy to any room. People also like the sense of nostalgia these items evoke. They were usually seen on popular television shows and remind folks of relatives and the good old days of yesteryear.”

And just what am I going to do with my trio of poodles? Mine was sent to my Canadian pen pal, Lisa, for her birthday. Her response was as I had hoped, "Thank you for the amazing gift. You were right! It is perfect. I loved it all. I wanted to write you an email telling you how much I enjoyed opening up your gift after all this time (I mailed it way back in late-December). It was well worth the wait! I cannot wait to add these darling little poodles to my existing poodle family. They will fit right in. It is so wonderful that they are in such perfect condition AND they still have their chain. Where did you find them?? I am curious. You really wowed me! Thank you Denise!!"

“They’re not dogs [poodles], they’re art.”
~ Rachael Leigh Cook

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