You can think of vintage chalkware and plaster pieces as early forms of plastic; they were cheap options in home decor. As a result, many of the designs were trendy and are often considered kitschy today. That doesn’t mean they don’t have their charms. Look at this vintage pair of plaster ballet dancers!
I found these curbside — as in the pair were tossed out as garbage, and I dove in to save them. While I did hold them close, you can’t exactly call them “tiny dancers,” as each ballet dancer measures roughly 11 inches across. Remarkably, there are no cracks, chips or repairs to the pieces, even though these vintage plaster pieces are relatively fragile. The fact that they are hollow doesn’t help. But these are in lovely shape.
Their 1950s turquoise color gives the rough date, though I have seen these hand painted plaster ballet dancers done in reds and pinks as well. There are round holes in the back for hanging them on the wall.
In terms of collectibility, pairs are ideal, of course. But if you find only one, hope it’s the ballerina. She’s the most desired because so many little girls dream of being the prima ballerina – and those dreams don’t fade, they just become part of a woman’s home decor design motif. I’m sure there are those who collect only the male ballet dancers, but there are fewer of them and so the prices are lower on the male dancer plaster pieces.
