Who is Muriel Joseph George?

Who is Muriel Joseph George?

People who collect art often do so because they are familiar with an artist's work and like what they see. If you're going to start a Josef Originals collection, it might be nice for you to know something about the person behind the collection, Muriel Joseph George. A jewelry designer from California, Muriel once used Lucite to make her jewelry. She named her company "Muriel of California."

During the second World War, people could not buy Lucite. Instead of letting that put her out of business, Muriel started crafting her jewelry out of ceramics and before long was creating figurines. Having a special affection for animals and children, she started molding her figurines after them. She also created angels and various other types of figurines.
After the war, Muriel began creating pottery in her home's basement. She then ordered labels for her special brand of figurines. A potential crisis occurred when Muriel received the labels, which had arrived misspelled with the name of Josef instead of Joseph; however, Muriel decided to use them anyway, which gave birth to Josef Originals.

However, the Japanese, Muriel learned, were creating and selling their own versions of her originals in the 1950s. This concerned the artist greatly as she didn't want people to think the inferior versions were, in fact, Josef Originals. She countered by making intricately detailed pieces, believing the intricacies of her newer pieces would be too difficult to copy. The problem with this solution, however, was that as the detail grew, so did the prices, meaning the average person could no longer afford them.

It was in the mid 1950s that Muriel met a man named George Good, who convinced her it would be best if her figurines were produced in Japan. The two soon went into business together and the company was renamed. Josef Originals became the George-Good Corporation. Wanting to oversee the manufacture of her figurines, Muriel went to Japan. Upon finding that the manufacture of her figurines met with her approval, she returned home, where she created even more designs. Soon, her art found its way back into the marketplace.

George Good bought Muriel's share of the corporation after she retired in the 1980s. Applause, Inc. bought the company from Good in 1985 and although they have not manufactured new pieces using the Josef Originals brand, they do have a line that copies Muriel's original pieces.

Those looking for Muriel's first pieces can identify them by the marking "M.J. George." Later pieces are marked by the name "Josef Originals," along with a "C" on the bottom. While there will be a sticker labeled "Japan," remember that Muriel chose to have her later pieces manufactured in Japan. Serious collectors may also benefit from a guide book, which shows pictures of the originals that Muriel created. Although it can be difficult for new collectors to identify authentic originals, seasoned collectors have learned how to spot an original from a fake.

To Learn More About Your Special Josef Doll Collection, Feel Free to Explore our site here. We're your one-stop resource for Authentic Josef Original Birthday Dolls .