SIGNED AND DATED by the Artist Shelle Robertson (now Shelie McCall).

Putting on the Ritz is a Vintage One Of A Kind Artists Creation.
A Stone Soup Masterpiece from 1995.
From the Owner's personal collection (Down-sizing).

A really big, 52" Santa Claus named "Putting on the Ritz", by Stone Soup Artists Shelie Robertson McCall and Richard McCall.
This over four-foot high Santa was handcrafted in 1995 and is in very good vintage condition, especially given he has been displayed each Christmas time for the past 25 years.

Please Note: He is wearing a wonderful antique outfit, which has flaws consistent with its extremely old age (see the close-up photos).

The BIGGEST Santa Stone Soup makes, at 52 inches tall he is almost life-sized, and quite a character.

"Putting on the Ritz" is a jolly fellow, smiling with dimples, bright and stunning bright blue twinkling eyes.
His mouth and teeth are hidden by his bushy Tibetan Sheepskin moustache so more photos are below, to show you his terrific smile. Please Note: Santa has no cracks, as any lines you might see in the photos of his mouth are unruly wisps of his bushy Tibetan Sheepskin beard. Very good care has been taken of him over the years.

SANTA CLAUS - STONE SOUP Artist Masterpiece One-Of-A-Kind "Putting on the Ritz". 1995 HAND-SIGNED Santa.

Stone Soup Santas are individually hand sculpted, so each piece is a unique original creation.

ABOUT STONE SOUP:
"We dedicate ourselves to the unique qualities of Christmas and the inherent joys emanating from the season.".

Richard and Shelie McCall began making Santa dolls in 1989 to give as gifts to their friends and thus began the art and passion that today is Stone Soup Santas, where they create magnificent Santa dolls from their home on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County California.
Richard creates the forms: sturdy, freestanding wood-and-metal armatures and Shelie sculpts Santa's polymer-clay head, hands and face. She also creates the costumes with fabrics that have a vintage feel.

Stone Soup Santas were the covers of the Christmas Neiman Marcus catalogs for many years. Their Santas have hand-sculpted heads and hands, with stuffed bodies and limbs, and are dressed in vintage clothing and fabrics, with vintage Christmas sacks of toys that Shelie finds at antique shows.

Under his Tibetan sheepskin beard, Ritz is hand signed by the artist and dated 1995.
He has a Tibetan sheepskin mustache and wispy white hair.
Costuming: Original Antique Circa 1920s Costume.
Vintage black top hat of velvety material with a nice black feather. Inside the hat is the Original label with maker's name, and some small pieces of the fragile silk lining are still intact (see all the close-up photos).
Circa 1920s Antique Opera Coat / Evening Coat in black velvet, which has frogging at the neck. Quilted and lined. Back has tassels and more frogging. Many of the black beading trims are still attached. It has an insert of velvet, insert is golden leaf patterns.
Accessories include an Antique 29" walking stick in excellent vintage condition. Santa carries a pair of black suede leather gloves.
A fob watch is attached to his chest.
Body is firmly stuffed and the top is a bodice with beading and sequins, and legs are velvet.
Standing on a base covered in fake pine cones and fake fur.
Santa comes with a big and heavy velvet toy sack in black velvet with gold brocade and tied with vintage gold cord.
Tucked in to the top of the sack: light brown teddy bear, a Vintage Christmas decoration, a very old doll and a little Vintage Christmas tree decorated with gold baubles.
29 inch walking stick. 15 x 22 inch sack of toys.

Click on the links below for BIG color photographs:

Big full-length photo

Portrait close-up

Head and shoulders

Face close-up

Smile close-up

Mouth close-up

SIGNED by the Artist Shellie Robertson (Shellie McCall)

Big photo

Front close-up

Fob watch

Fob watch close-up

Top hat showing feather

Top hat close-up

Top hat protection

Top hat label inside

Black gloves

Black gloves

Walking stick

Frogging close-up

Artist Masterpiece One-Of-A-Kind by Stone Soup Artists Shelie Robertson McCall and Richard McCall Santa "Putting on the Ritz".