Charlie McCarthy Fur Clip

You cannot add that amount to the cart — we have 1 in stock and you already have 1 in your cart. View cart

$105.00

Small goldtone dress clip of Charlie McCarthy wearing a tuxedo, top hat, and monocle. Pin is done in black, white, and flesh-colored enamel. There is a little enamel wear. Back is marked “MFD UNDER EXCLUSIVE LICENSE FROM EDGAR BERGEN AND CHARLIE MCCARTHY INC.” as well as marked “PAT. 2038343”, which is a patent for the “brooch and clip” that were applied for on July 25, 1935, and was patented on April 21, 1936. The hinge is tight and is in good working condition. Clip measures 1-1/4″ x 7/8″. Charlie’s mouth is hinged and opens and closes when pushing back on the little tab on the bottom. Edgar Bergen was the ventriloquist for his doll, Charlie McCarthy. They made their first appearance on the radio (yes, the radio) in 1936 on Rudy Vallee’s radio program. They were given their own spot on The Chase and Sanborn Hour, and were on the radio from 1937 to 1956. They also had their own television show, “The Charlie McCarthy Show” that began in 1949. Edgar Bergen died in 1978 in a Las Vegas hotel. Charlie McCarthy’s final resting place is the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. (Info as per Wikipedia). This is a great vintage piece of history.