Featured PORCELAIN FIGURINE BALLET GIRL LENOCHKA (HELEN)

Hello everyone,
Now, when there is a lot of time to work online due to the pandemic, I would like to share an interesting story about one porcelain figurine I have.
The story tells how the porcelain figurine of a ballet girl Lenochka (pet name) turned out to be in New York. The story comes back to 2017 when the famous American sculptor Jeff Koons installed an inflatable sculpture "Sitting Ballet Girl" at the entrance of Rockefeller Center in NY.
Immediately Jeff Koons was blamed of illegal reproduction of the porcelain figurine Ballet Girl Lenochka made by a famous Ukrainian sculptor Oksana Zhnykrup. But the official representative of the sculptor announced that he got permission from the family to use this image and even paid royalty.
The figurine was made in 1974 but the model of this figurine disappeared. Fortunately, they made a limited circulation of this figurine.
And now - be on alert! I have one. Here it is:

 

A few have sold shown on Worthpoint if you're wanting to check some prices.

https://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=Zhnikrup&category=

https://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=LENOCHKA&category=

 

She is beautiful.

 

Thanks for the interesting information, she is a beautiful ballerina!

 

Another version!

Oleksandr Balbyshev,
BALLERINA LENOCHKA WITH DUCKS

Only $1400!

 

Thanks for sharing, @Natasha

I like the koons sculpture. He's used images of many famous objects and people in his work, including Michael Jackson... I'm sure he knows his way around royalties

 

Thanks for sharing this! It has so many nuances. I suppose it is a version of Swan Lake. I bet @Rayo56 will like it especially.

 

ebay:
Vintage Porcelain "Seated Ballerina" by Oksana Zhnikrup 169.99

 

Coming back to this famous piece. I've found out that there are replica porcelain pieces that look very much like the original. For Soviet porcelain collectors, be careful. Check the mark on the bottom and the bottom itself.The piece was made in 1960-70s, so it cannot look very new.

 

Thanks for bringing this back to the top, @Natasha . It is beautiful, and I enjoyed your story.

 

Agree with Fig's comment above, and very glad to see this lovely ballerina piece in several various forms, and the original. Thank you for finding and sharing information regarding the other replicas that are available. Does the bottom of yours look like the one Aquitaine posted above?

 

Yes

 

Thank you, Natasha!