Featured Figurine need help to identify artist and region

Hi, this may just be student work but I have really liked it for a long time. It has an ethnic feel but I'm not sure what region it could be depicting. It is signed on the bottom and of course I can't make it out and I'm not sure I would get anywhere with it if I could. Maybe something or not, the small hole in the bottom has a bit of cork in it. It stands around 10 1/4" tall. Any help will be appreciated.

 

I wish artists had better hand writing-guess it's just part of their shtick like the scribbles doctors make.

 

I really like this piece - has a modernist feel. Can you brush those letters with cinnamon or do a crayon/pencil rubbing?

 

Charming.

It has a 1970s feel to me. I'm not seeing anything ethnic.

 

Yep,not ethnic,but a sweet little 60's-70's piece.lots of ceramicists started incorporating fabric impressions into their designs-mashing old lace and crochet into the wet clay for texture and pattern adding a little 'funk' to their pieces.

 

I'm thinking it may be German. There was a lot of this white bisque type stuff from there in the 70s.

 

I love her. That signature is hard !

 

My first impression was also German. I love that softly molded face.

 

This soft organic molded face and form reminds me of the great post-war UK sculptor Henry Moore. Moore was the Picasso of the atomic mid-century organic form,even his abstract forms have that beautiful soft sinuous feeling.Most of his non-objective works,though not graphically figurative,have the peaceful feeling of a person in repose,lounging,sleeping.
Of course you can go back to the Cycladic figures of 3000 to 5000 years ago to see the precursor to Moore's rendition of the human form.
Brancusi had rhythmic flow but with a frequently sharper edge.Moore influenced a lot of designers and architects, Corbusier's Notre-Dame du Haut chapel has much of the same organic grace.
Of course all the greats influenced each other,Picasso said something like-'Great artists steal.'

 

Thank you to everyone who has commented so far. I was scolded for my handwriting all through school and written up by a supervisor on a job in the recent past so I understand the signature. I tried the pencil rub with no luck. The letters just run together too much. As I said, I have enjoyed it for years and always wondered about it. Researching your leads I agree with the German thoughts. And a lot of keywords to help me along. If its never figured out at least I'm learning. I'm still wondering if anyone has thought on the bit of cork in the hole in the bottom. Can't find a keyword or term for that.