The King of Dolls
LJEPOSLAV PERINIC

The collection of dolls is permanently exhibited at Tourist information center, Zrinjski trg 14, Zagreb, Croatia.

Spanish translation by Zdravka Teresa Perinic de Bellofatto (2004)
Russian translation by Dmitry Vedushenko (2001)
Croatian translation by D. Z. (2002)


© 1999 by Ljeposlav Perinic (1922-2005) and Darko Zubrinic

Mr. Perinic with his dollsI met Mr. Ljeposlav Perinic in the summer 1999 in Zagreb, after his friendly telephone call related to the famous Croatian Glagolitic Texte du Sacre in France. I learned an unusual story about his unique collection of more than 350 dolls in national costumes from over 120 countries, from all five continents. His invaluable collection contains dolls that he obtained as gifts from dignitaries, Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, Presidents, First Ladies, Prime Ministers, Governors, etc. Among them are Pope Paul VI (the Vatican), Indira Gandhi (India), Carlos Menem (Argentina), G.A. Naser (Egypt), Grace Kelly (Monaco), Haile Selassie (Ethiopia), Farrah Diba Pahlavi - the First Lady of Iran, Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan), Konrad Adenauer (Germany), Queen Sofia of Spain, Mao Tse Tung (China), Dalai Lama (Tibet in China), Enver Hoxha (Albania), Moise Chombe (Kongo), then

MAHARADJAHIRADSA MAHENDRA BIKRAM JANG BAHADUR SHAH SHAMBAHER JANG DEVA

(Nepal), Franjo Tudjman (Croatia), and many others.

How did he collect his dolls? Well, he simply wrote, and asked for dolls in national costumes. However, the story has deeper roots.

Video: Exposicion mundial de muñecas en Buenos Aires (1970)

Gift from Pope Paul VIBorn in 1922 in Split (his mother was a Croat from Boka Kotorska, at that time in Croatia), Mr. Perinic was only six years old when his father took him to the funeral of Stjepan Radic in Zagreb, assassinated in the Yugoslav Parliament in Belgrade in 1928. There he was fascinated by a great variety of picturesque Croatian national costumes that thousands of people wore, among them also the Bokelj Mariners in their typical solemn costumes. This picture remained deeply rooted in his mind. In 1946 he had met Marija Prpic while working for Croatian radio in Austria. It was a time of many troubles. A group of people escaped (from communism and misfortune) and arrived in Austria to a refugee-camp. Marija was allowed by her parents to travel since her brother Jure Prpic was in the group. While in the refugee-camp Ljeposlav and Marija were married in a wooden chapel by a Catholic Priest accompanied by friends. In 1947 they arrived to Argentina.

Very unusual name Ljeposlav of Mr. Perinic was given to him according to the Greek pope Calistos, which is Ljeposlav in Croatian. He arrived to Argentina with a boat from Genova, with 2000 Croats, mostly intellectuals like himself, who managed to save their lives from the slaughter immediately after the WW2 (see the Way of the Cross). On his first job in Buenos Aires he carried sacs of cement weighing 60 kg, while until then the most difficult object he had to raise was his pen. To his amazement, he noticed that the cement was from Croatia, from his native Split. Afterwards he used to say: I arrived to Argentina in order to build it with Croatian cement...!

Gift from Queen Sofia of SpainBefore his mother arrived to visit them in Don Torcuato near Buenos Aires for the first time in 1957, he asked her to bring dolls in Croatian national costumes. It was to be her first appointment with her three grand-daughters. When they saw beautiful Croatian dolls, they asked their father: "Father, do other nations also have their national costumes?" "Of course", was the answer. And the question was an impetus. Mr. Perinic came to a very original idea: to write letters to various statesmen and to ask them for dolls in their national costumes for his three daughters. As he said, "if I had only one boy among them, this idea probably would never come to me." And indeed, having sent three requests, soon after a doll arrived from the first lady of Mexico - Mrs. Eva Samano de Lopez Mateos, then from Konrad Adenauer, the founder of the new German state. Argentinean president Levingston explained in his letter that the state budget did not provide for the cost of dolls.

On the above photo, exhibited here with kind permission of the Jet Set journal (Zagreb), you will notice a mistake. As I was informed by Mrs Zdravka, daughter of Mr Perinic (who knows all her dolls very well), this very beautiful doll is a gift from Queen Sofia of Spain, and not from C. Menem as written on the photo. By the way, did you know that in 1981 Queen Sofia opened Museu Krekovic in Palma de Mallorca, gallery of the famous Croatian painter Kristian Krekovic?

His rich correspondence contains more than 300 letters from various statesmen and outstanding personalities, which he keeps in five albums. An interesting letter came from David Dacko, president of the Central African Republic. He wrote that there are "no dolls in his country", but thanks to Mr. Perinic's idea they soon started to produce them, and now little girls in Central African Republic play with dolls.

Gift from Dalai LamaWhen Mr. Perinic, still anonymous, collected already 78 dolls in 1965, he thought to stop writing letters, since he had a modest apartment, with insufficient space for so many dolls. But, then 79th doll arrived, a Swiss guardian from Pope Paul VI, together with Pope's apostolic blessing for Mr Perinic's family. Upon the initiative of a local Catholic priest, an exhibition of dolls was organized that achieved tremendous success. It was visited by 10,000 people, including several ambassadors in Buenos Aires. The first exhibition of dolls in history attracted newspapermen from "France Press," "Reuters," "United Press," "The Associated Press." That is how he became known as the King of Dolls. The name Rey de las muñecas (The King of Dolls) was given to him for the first time in Mexico. It is interesting that the Spanish language, which is spoken by about 350 million people, has been enriched by two new words due to dolls of Mr. Perinic:

  • muñecologo (coined in Argentina), and
  • muñecoteca mas grande del mundo (coined in Uruguay).

Gift from Golda Meir, IsraelIn the following years he had more than fifty exhibitions of his dolls in Argentina, the USA and Canada. Through these exhibitions he took advantage to promote Croatian culture, its folklore and music. When an exhibition was held in Santa Barbara in the USA, a Jewish doll was stolen, which was a gift from Israeli prime minister Golda Meir. The value of the stolen doll was estimated to 20,000 USD. Soon afterwards newspapers wrote about this exhibition and Golda Meir, having learned about the disappearance of the doll during the exhibition, sent another one to Mr. Perinic!

Gift from Indira Gandhi, IndiaWhen Indira Gandhi payed an official visit to Argentina in 1968, she brought two gifts in her bag: one for Argentinean president and another for Mr. Perinic. Neil Armstrong, a famous American astronaut, the first man who walked on the Moon, answered to Mr. Perinic that he does not know of a doll in Texas that would deserve to be in his collection. It is interesting to say that G.A. Naser, president of Egypt, used to send his Christmas and New Year's cards to Mr. Perinic regularly every year, until his tragic death.

It seems to be of interest to mention several answers that he obtained:

  • French president Charles De Gaulle wrote that there was no doll in his palace that he could send.
  • British Queen Elisabeth II answered that she does not send gifts to unknown persons.
  • President of Surinam (at that time a Dutch colony in South America) John Henri Eliza Ferrier sent his signed photo instead of a doll.
  • Mois Chombe (Kongo) started his letter with "Dear Madam Perinic"...
  • The King of Swaziland in Africa answered that he has no dolls (and we know that he had 100 wives...)
  • Perinic's unique Empire has a doll from Queen Gyalmo of Sikkim. Sikkim is a little known kingdom in the Himalayas.

Zagreb, 10. August, 1999. 
Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth the Queen Mother 
Buckingham Palace 

 Your Majesty, 

 My name is Ljeposlav Perinic and I am a Croat, living since World War II. in Argentina. Now, I have been visiting my homeland for two months. 

 In newspapers I have read that Your Majesty is celebrating the birthday, so please accept my best wishes. 

 For more than thirty years I have been collecting dolls in national costumes from all over the world, and till now I have received dolls as presents from 158 world leaders (Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, Presidents, First Ladies, Prime Ministers, Governors etc.). As Your Country is not represented in my collection, I am free to ask You for a favour to send me a doll or dolls in national costumes of Great Britain, to be represented in this world's unique collection of dolls given by leaders. The dolls have been donated to Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb, Croatia.  

 Thank You in advance Your majesty 
Sincerely Yours 
Ljeposlav Perinic 

 Ljeposlav Perinic 
(c.o. Milicic) 
Vinogradska 13, 10000 Zagreb 
Croatia 

[Coat of Arms] 
CLARENCE HOUSE 
SW1A 1BA 

 17th August 1999 

 Dear Mr. Perinic, 

 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother has asked me to thank you for your letter, and the birthday greetings you have sent to Her Majesty. 

 Although The Queen Mother was interested to read of your large collection of dolls, Her Majesty does not feel able to send you one. I am sorry to send you this reply, which may cause disappointment. 

 Yours sincerely, 
[signature illegible: Jennifer Gordon Lem??] 
Lady-in-Waiting 

Mr Perinic wrote an article about a Croatian painter Kristian Krekovic, famous for his gallery in Palma de Mallorca (Perinic, Ljeposlav: Kristian Krekovic, pintor croata-peruano (1901-1985), Studia Croatica, Buenos Aires, volumen 100, ano 1986, página 27-3.). It is interesting that Krekovic portrayed several outstanding persons:

  • Mahatma Gandhi,
  • the English Queen (in 1938, upon her request),
  • the royal family of Spain,
  • and the royal family of Sweden.

Gift from Grace Kelly, princess of Monaco Gift from Eva Samano de Lopez Mateos, MexicoOn the left you can see a lovely gift from Grace Kelly, princess of Monaco. Mr. Perinic was a frequent guest on TVs in several countries: Argentina, Uruguay, the USA, Canada, Croatia. In an official bulletin issued by the United Nations (Information UNESCO, No. 540, September 1968) a whole page was devoted to his dolls, that were described in an article entitled United Nations in the Dolls. If you happen to stay in Croatian capital Zagreb for a while, don't miss to see Mr. Perinic's collection that he donated in 1991. It has been permanently exhibited in the center of Zagreb (Zrinjevac square 14, Tourist information center, quite near the Embassy of the USA) in 2000. Great merit for very complex and nontrivial transport of over 300 dolls from Hamilton, Canada, to Zagreb, have Anamarija Snajdar from Croatian Radio Sljeme, and Petar Milicic, nephew of Mr. Perinic.

The Vicar of the Croatian Parish in Ottawa, Canada, who financially supported the transfer, it is interesting to say - was Black. When he visited Zagreb, on the occasion of the first exhibition of dolls held there in 1991, he also payed a visit to the most famous sanctuary of Marija Bistrica (near Zagreb) to see the "Black Madonna". On his return to Zagreb, he remarked to Mr. Perinic: The church was fantastic, it was packed with people, and what was very interesting, was that only the Madonna and me were black, while all the others were white!

The international exhibition EXPO '67 held in Montreal in Canada had also a small pavilion full of dolls. It was Mr. Perinic's pavilion where he exhibited his collection, unofficially called Croatian pavilion (it was also the sole exhibit of Argentina). He had numerous charitable exhibitions of his dolls, mainly for UNICEF children's program. As an example, one of exhibitions of his dolls was organized in order to help children in Argentina suffering from leprosy. On another exhibition of dolls, funds gathered in this way sufficed to build a house in the children's village in Garin, in the vicinity of Buenos Aires, directed by S.O.S. OPROVI Argentina. Here S.O.S. Children's Village is a well known charitable international organization, founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Austria. It is interesting that the building was named - CROACIA.

Eleonora Aimone, Argentinian poetesse and writer (born in Italy) wrote the following verses dedicated to the King of Dolls (published in Marulic, Zagreb, 6/1998):
 

El Rey de las muñecas 

  

A Ljeposlav Perinic

Saber de ti es remontar 
al cielo de un amanecer soñado 
Es trepar nubes de ilusión 
y descender, con las manos llenas 
de rizos y de tules bordados, 
de zapatitos y faldas multicolores, 
de cintas y monos labrados. 
Saber de ti es volver a la infancia, 
a mecer en nuestros brazos 
la muñeca con bucles de oro, la de trenzas negras, 
la vestida de harapos 
o el soldadito con el sable en la mano. 
Saber de ti es la certeza inefable 
de haber encontrado un espacio 
donde se detiene el tiempo, 
un estanque de aguas claras, 
un soplo de brisa perfumada, 
un Edén de paz donde 
un duende pasta su ternura 
entre niños de porcelana... 

y tu mirada.
Kralj lutaka 

  

Ljeposlavu Perinicu

Znati za tebe to je kao vinuti se 
u visine zore u snu naslucene. 
Lebdjeti po oblacima umisljaja 
i sletjeti punih ruku 
vezena finog tila i pramicak uvojaka, 
cipelica i sarenih haljinica 
uresenih vrpcama i masnicama. 
Znati za tebe to je kao vratiti se u djetinjstvo 
i na rukama ljuljati 
lutku zlatnih uvojaka, 
lutku crnih pletenica, 
i onu u dronjcima, 
ili pak malenog vojnika sa sabljom u ruci. 
Znati za tebe to je kao neizrecivo pouzdanje 
da smo naisli na mjesto 
gdje se zaustavilo vrijeme, 
vrelo bistre vode, 
lahor mirisava povjetarca, 
rajski vrt srece i mira 
gdje duhovi secu sa svojim drazima 
medu djecicom od porculana... 

i tvojim zacaranim ocima.

Translated into Croatian by Ana Blazekovic.

Vesna Parun
Lutka za siročad

Drage lutke,
bio je rat
na svetom
hrvatskom tlu
Ni vama nije lako bilo.
Plač dječji ste
čule
u snu.

Olovni je
vojnik
oživio.
Šapnuo:
- Lutkice,
zbogom!

Na cesti ga je
neprijatelj
bezdušno
zgazio
nogom

Uzalud je
kraljevna
mala čekala
hrabrog
vojnika.
Poklonio ju je
lutaka
kralj djeci iz Lekenika.

(Zagreb, 17. rujna 1999.)
Published in Marulić in 1999, on p. 1087.

From Mr. Perinic's card: Gift from Jens Otto Krag, Denmark Gift from Henryk Jablonski, Poland

Kralj lutaka
Rey de las Muñecas
The King of Dolls
König der Puppen
Roi des poupées
O Rei das boneçcas
Korol' kukol
Ningyo no o
Kralj otroskih punck
Dockornas kung Melej habubot
Gift from Dulce Figueiredo, Brasil Gift from Leopold Senghor, Senegal
Koning van de poppen
Nukkien kuningas
Wa-wa-wang
Bubrigner takavor
Re delle bambole
Król zabawek
Ri na mBabóg
Malak al leaab
Dukkernes konge
Korol lalok
Kral na kuklite
Babák királya
Gift from Chiang Kai Shek, Taiwan Gift from Mois Chombe, Congo
O Vasilias tis kuklas
Regele papusilor
Bebekler krali
Mburuvicha guazu mitacuña porá
Panpiñen erregea
Léliu koralius
Král' babik
Puprego

Gift from Estonian community in Argentina Gift from Lithuanian community in the USAFor example, Mburuvicha guazu mitacuña porá is "the King of Dolls" in the language of Guarani indians in Paraguay. Here is the list of countries, dignitaries, their titles, and the corresponding numbers of dolls donated to Mr. Perinic's collection (in Spanish):
Croatian judge from the town of Krapina, 16th century


1.
ALBANIA  Enver HODZA - 1954/85  Presidente 
1
2.
ALEMANIA
OCCIDENTAL 
Konrad ADENAUER - 1962  Canciller 
1
3.
ALEMANIA
OCCIDENTAL 
Kurt George KINSSINGER - 1968  Canciller 
2
4.
ALEMANIA
OCCIDENTAL 
Wilhelmine LUBKE - 1964  Primera Dama 
1
5.
ALEMANIA
OCCIDENTAL 
Gustav HEINEMANN - 1970  Presidente 
1
6.
ALEMANIA
ORIENTAL 
Walter ULBRICHT - 1965  Presidente 
7
7.
ANGOLA  Silverio MARQUEZ - 1966  Gobernador 
1
8.
ANTILLAS HOLANDESAS  N. DEBROT - 1965  Gobernador 
2
9.
ANTILLAS HOLANDESAS  Ciro. D. KROON - 1968  Primer Ministro 
1
10.
ARABIA SAUDITA  Faisal Bin Abdul AZIZ - 1965  Rey 
1
11.
ARGENTINA  Silvia Martorell de ILLIA (1965)  Primera Dama 
2
12.
ARGENTINA  Gral. Jorge Rafael VIDELA - 1976/81  Presidente 
2
13.
ARGENTINA  Juan Carlos ONGANIA - 1966/70  Presidente 
2
14.
ARGENTINA  Ileana Maria BELL de LANUSSE - 1971/73  Primera Dama 
2
15.
ARGENTINA  Carlos Saul MENEM - 1997  Presidente 
1
16.
AUSTRIA  Stepan LASZLO  Obispo (Gradisca) 
1
17.
AUSTRIA  Adolf SCHARF - 1957/65  Presidente 
2
18.
AUSTRIA  Dr. Kurt WALDHEIM - 1986/92  Presidente 
1
19.
BAHAMAS  Lynden O. PINDLING - 1973/92  Primer Ministro 
1
20.
BANGLADESH  Bangabundhu Sheik MAUJIBUR
RAHMAN - 1974 
Primer Ministro 
1
21.
BOLIVIA  Teresa C. de PAZ ESTENSORO - 1964  Primera Dama 
2
22.
BRASIL  Gral Garrastazu MEDICI - 1969/74  Presidente 
1
23.
BRASIL  Dulce FIGUEIREDO - 1979/85  Primera Dama 
1
24.
BULGARIA  Todor ZIVKOV - 1971/89  Presidente 
2
25.
CAMBOYA  Kossamak NEARIRAD - 1969  Reina 
1
26.
CANADA  Lester PEARSON - 1963/68  Primer Ministro 
2
27.
CANADA  S.M. HODGSON - 1969  Gobernador 
2
28.
CEILAN  Dudley SENANAYAKE - 1965  Primer Ministro 
1
29.
COLOMBIA  Carlos LLERAS RESTREPO - 1968  Presidente 
1
30.
CONGO  Moises CHOMBE - 1965  Presidente 
1
31.
COREA DEL SUR  Chung HEE PARK  Presidente 
2
32.
COSTA RICA  Juan ORLICH - 1962  Presidente 
1
33.
CROACIA  Marija PAVELIC - 1965  Primera Dama 
1
34.
CROACIA  Franjo TUDJMAN - 1991  Presidente 
2
35.
CHECOSLOVAQUIA  Anton NOVOTNY  Primer Ministro 
1
36.
CHECOSLOVAQUIA  Ludvig SOBODA  Presidente 
2
37.
CHILE  Lucia HIRIART de PINOCHET - 1973/90  Primera Dama 
3
38.
CHILE  Eduardo PREI RUIZ-TAGLE - 1995  Presidente 
1
39.
CHINA  Chan-Kai SHEK - 1964  Presidente 
1
40.
CHINA  Mao Tse TUNG - 1966/69  Presidente 
F
41.
CHIPRE  Archbishop MAKARIOS - 1972  Presidente 
1
42.
DINAMARCA  Jens Otto KRAG - 1964  Primero Ministro 
2
43.
ECUADOR  Carlos AROSEMENA - 1961/63  Presidente 
1
44.
EGIPTO  Gamal Abdel NASSER - 1954/70  Presidente 
1
45.
ESCOCIA  ---  --- 
1
46.
ESCOCIA  John JOHNSTON - 1967  Mayor of Glasgow 
1
47.
ESLOVENIA  Milan KUCAN - 1995  Presidente 
6
48.
ESPAÑA  Gral. Francisco FRANCO - 1965  Presidente 
2
49.
ESPAÑA  Sofia - 1996  Reina 
1
50.
ESTADOS UNIDOS  Laurleen WALLACE  Gobernadora 
6
51.
ETIOPIA  HAILE SELASSIE - 1968  Emperador 
1
52.
Islas FIJI  Ratu K. K. T. MARA - 1968 Gobernador 
1
53.
FILIPINAS  Evangelina MACAPAGAL - 1964  Primera Dama 
1
54.
FILIPINAS Imelda MARCOS - 1966  Primera Dama 
2
55.
FINLANDIA  Urho KALEVA KEKKONEN - 1956/82  Presidente 
1
56.
FRANCIA  Danielle MITTERAND - 1992  Primera Dama 
2
57.
GRECIA  George ZOITAKIS - 1970  Regente 
4
68.
GRECIA  Paul I - 1947/64  Rey 
1
69.
GUATEMALA  Julio Cesar MENDEZ MONTENEGRO - 1966/70  Presidente 
1
60.
GUATEMALA  Miguel YDIGORA FUENTES - 1958/63  Presidente 
1
61.
HOLANDA  JULIANA - 1948/80  Reina 
3
62.
HONDURAS  Gloria de LOPEZ ARELLANO - 1969  Presidenta 
2
63.
HUNGRIA  Cyula KALLAI - 1967  Presidente 
1
64.
INDIA  Indira GANDHI - 1968  Primer Ministro 
1
65.
INDIA  Sarvapeli RADHAKRISHNAN - 1965  Presidente 
1
66.
INDONESIA  Gral. SUHARTO - 1969  Presidente 
10
67.
ITALIA  Giovani LEONE - 1972  Presidente 
1
68.
ITALIA  Umberto II - 1965  Rey 
3
69.
IRAN  Farah Diba PAHLAVI - 1966  Emperatriz 
1
70.
IRLANDA  Sean LEMASS - 1964  Primer Ministro 
1
71.
IRLANDA  Mary ROBINSON - 1997 Presidenta
1
72.
ISLANDIA  Oficina - 1992  Primer Ministro 
1
73.
ISRAEL  Golda MEIR - 1969  Primer Ministro 
1
74.
ISRAEL  Levi ESHKOL - 1973  Primer Ministro 
2
75.
ISRAEL  Zalaman SAHAZAR - 1968  Presidente 
1
76.
JAMAICA  Alejandro BUSTAMANTE - 1965  Primer Ministro 
1
77.
JAPON  Eisaku SATO - 1964/1972  Primer Ministro 
1
78.
JORDANIA  HUSSEIN I - 1963  Rey 
2
79.
JORDANIA  Noor AL HUSSEIN - 1993  Reina 
1
80.
LEBANON  Suleiman FRANGIEH - 1971  Presidente 
2
81.
LIBERIA  Anthoinete TUBMAN  Primera Dama 
1
82.
LIECHTENSTEIN  Franz Joseph II - 1965  Principe 
1
83.
LUXENBURGO  Enrique 1968  Principe 
1
84.
MACEDONIA  Ivan MIHAJLOV  Lider 
1
85.
MACAO  Antonio Adriano FARIA LOPEZ DOS SANTOS - 1966  Gobernador 
1
86.
MALASIA  Ismail NASIRUDDIN SHAH - 1967  Rey 
2
87.
MALTA  Don MINTOFF - 1971  Primer Ministro 
1
88.
MARTINICA  SENADO - 1965  --- 
1
89.
MARRUECOS  HASSAN II - 1970  Rey 
2
90.
MEXICO  Eva SAMANO de LOPEZ MATEOS - 1962  Primera Dama 
1
91.
MEXICO  Esther ZUNO DE ECHEVERRIA - 1970/76  Primera Dama 
1
92.
MONACO  Grace KELLY - 1956/82  Princesa 
1
93.
NEPAL MAHARADJAHIRADSA MAHENDRA 
BIKRAM JANGHADUR SHAH 
SHAMBAHER JANG DEVA - 1965
Rey
2
94.
NICARAGUA  Gral. Roberto MARTINEZ - 1972  Presidente 
3
95.
NICARAGUA  Ana Maria ALEMAN - 1997/2002  Primera Dama 
2
96.
NORUEGA  Einar GERARDSHEN - 1965  Primer Ministro 
1
97.
NORUEGA  Gro Harlem BRUNDTLAND - 1981  Primer Ministro 
1
98.
PAKISTAN  Zulufikar ALI BHUTTO - 1971/1973  Presidente 
1
99.
PAKISTAN  Benazir ALI BHUTTO  Presidente 
1
100.
PAKISTAN  Benazir BHUTO - 1995  Presidenta 
2
101.
PANAMA  Mireya MOSCOSO - 1999  Presidenta 
3
102.
PARAGUAY  Gral. Alfredo STROESSNER - 1965  Presidente 
1
103.
PERU  Gral. Juan VELASCO ALVERADO - 1968 Presidente 
5
104..
PERU  Fernando BELAUNDE TERRI -1980/85  Presidente 
1
105.
POLINESIA FRANCESCA  Aime GRIMALDI - 1965  Gobernador 
1
106.
POLONIA  Henry JABLONSKI - 1972/85  Presidente 
2
107.
POLONIA  Edward OCHAB - 1964  Presidente 
2
108.
PORTUGAL  Antonio de OLIVEIRA SALAZAR - 1932/68  Primer Ministro 
1
109.
PUERTO RICO  Roberto SANCHEZ VILELLA - 1966  Gobernador 
1
110.
PUERTO RICO  Luis MUÑOZ MARIN - 1962  Gobernador 
1
111.
PUERTO RICO  Luis A. FERRE - 1970  Gobernador 
1
112.
PUERTO RICO  Pedro ROSSELLO - 1997  Gobernador 
1
113.
f
RUMANIA  Chivu STOICA - 1965  Presidente 
6
114.
RUSIA  Nikolai PODGORNY - 1965/77  Presidente 
15
115.
RUSIA  Anastas MIKOYAN - 1970  Presidente 
3
116.
SAN MARINO  REGENT CAPITANS - 1969  Gobernadora 
2
117.
SENEGAL  Leopold SEDAR SENGHOR - 1960/80  Presidente 
1
118.
SIKIM  GYALMO - 1965  Reina 
1
119.
SIRIA  Nureddin AL-ATASSI - 1968  Presidente 
1
120.
SOMALIA  Louis SWAGETI - 1967  Gobernador 
2
121.
SUDAFRICA  Jim FOUCHE - 1969  Presidente 
1
122.
SUIZA  Hans SCHAFFNER - 1968  Presidente 
1
123.
TAILANDIA  Sirikit KITYAKARA  Reina 
1
124.
TAIWAN
(CHINA NACION.) 
Gral. Chiang KAI-SHEK - 1950/75  Presidente 
1
125.
TIBET  DALAI LAMA - 1996  Lider Espiritual 
1
126.
TUNEZ  Habib BURGUIBA - 1963  Presidente 
1
127.
TURQUIA  Suat HAYRI URGUPLU - 1965  Presidente 
2
128.
TURQUIA  Turgut OZAL - 1993  Presidente 
1
129.
TRINIDAD/TOBAGO  Eric WILLIAMS - 1956/81  Primer Ministro 
3
130.
TRINIDAD/TOBAGO  Saloman HOENOY - 1962/72  Gobernador 
3
131.
UCRANIA  Jaroslav STETZKO  Presidente 
1
132.
URUGUAY  Juan M. BORDABERRY - 1972/76  Presidente 
1
133.
VATICANO  Pablo VI - 1964  Papa 
1
134.
VENEZUELA  Raul LEONI - 1964/69  Presidente 
2
135.
VENEZUELA  Menca F. de LEONI - 1965  Primera Dama 
2
136.
VIETNAM DEL SUR  Gral. Dong van MINK - 1964  Presidente 
1
137.
VIETNAM DEL SUR  Nguyen van THIEN - 1965/75  Presidente 
2
138.
ex YUGOSLAVIA  Stjepan MESIC - 1991  Presidente 
2

 

Gift from Konrad Adenauer, Germany Gift from Lynden O. Rindling, BahamsAs we see, Nikolai Podgorny, president of Russia, donated 15 dolls: one from each of fifteen former Soviet republics. It is interesting that during an exhibition dolls held in the province of La Pampa in Argentina a Russian doll had disappeared. Calls from local radio were frequently broadcast during the whole day in order to find it, but in vain. Finally, a father of a 5 year old child brought it the next day, saying with excuses that he has found it in his car. Mr. Perinic is very proud that children stay very long at his exhibitions. Their parents just as well.

 

MEXICO:

Mexico, gift from president Vicente FOX QUESADA - 2005
Mexico, gift from president Vicente FOX QUESADA - 2005
Mexico, gift from president Vicente FOX QUESADA - 2005

Mexico, gift from president Vicente FOX QUESADA - 2005

 JAPAN:


A Japanese doll from the collection of the King of Dolls (Ljeposlav Perinić, 1922-205), kept in Zagreb's
Ethnographic Museum. This doll has been donated in 1963 by the then
Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Eisaku Sato.

Here is a brief explanation provided by the courtesy of Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist:

The doll represents a figure  figure from the No or Kabuki drama which is titled "REN JI SHI" (Father and Son Lion Dance). The actor of Father Lion (shishi) has white hair, while the actor of Son Lion (shishi) has red hair. Two entertainers dance a tale of the legendary shishi or lion-like spirits that live at the foot of a holy Buddhist mountain. Later, the shishi themselves appear and perform their dance with wild shaking of their long manes. The dance shows a parent shishi forcing his cub to undergo harsh training in order to grow up strong. This theme is often associated with the training which a parent actor gives his son.


COLLECCIÓN PERINIC - SIGLO XXI :

1.
REPUBLICA CHECA  Václav KLAUS  Presidente 
1
2.
URUGUAY  Jorge Luis BATLLE IBÁNEZ  Presidente 
2
3.
ANDORRA  Marc FORNÉ MOLNÉ  Primer Ministro 
1
4.
CHILE  Ricardo LAGOS ESCOBAR  Presidente 
2
5.
BARBADOS  Clifford HUSBANDS  Gobernador General 
2
6.
LIBANO  Emile LAHUD - 2004  Presidente 
4
7.
FILIPINAS  Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO  Presidente
4
8.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de San Luis)  Dr. Alberto RODRÍGUEZ SAA   Gobernador 
1
9.
MÉXICO  Vicente FOX QUESADA Presidente 
8
10.
AZERBAIJAN Ilham ALIYEV  Presidente 
3
11.
RUSSIA Vladimir PUTIN  Presidente 
1
12.
GUYANA Hon. Samuel HINDS Primer Ministro 
1
13.
SUIZA H.E. Samuel SCHMID Presidente 
1
14.
MAURIZIO H.E. Sarojini JUGNAUTH Primera Dama 
1
15.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de Santiago del Estero) Dr. Gerardo ZAMORA Gobernador 
2
16.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de Corrientes) Ing. Arturo Alejandro COLOMBI  Gobernador 
1
17.
AFGHANISTAN Dr. Zeenat KARZAI  Primera Dama 
1
18.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de Entre Ríos) Dr. Jorge Pedro BUSTI  Gobernador 
2
19.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de Buenos Aires) Ing. Felipe SOLÁ  Gobernador 
2
20.
POLONIA Dr. Lech KACZYNSKI  Presidente 
1
21.
SINGAPORE Mrs. Urmila NATHAN  Primera Dama 
1
22.
JAMAICA Mrs. Portia SIMPSON MILLER  Primer Ministro 
1
23.
ESTONIA Mr. Toomas Hendrik ILVES  Presidente 
1
24.
CANADA (Provincia de Alberta) The Hon Ed STELMACH Premier 
1
25.
ESPAÑA - Islas Baleares Hon Francesc ANTICH i OLIVER  Presidente de Gobierno 
1
26.
ESPAÑA - Extremadura D. Guillermo FERNÁNDEZ VARA Presidente de la Junta 
2
27.
ESPANA - Castilla - La Mancha D. José María BARREDA FONTES Presidente de la Junta 
6
28.
REPUBLICA DOMINICANA Dr. Leonel FERNÁNDEZ REYNA Presidente 
1
29.
ARGENTINA (Provincia de Salta) Dr. Juan Manuel URTUBEY Gobernador 
2
30.
ARGENTINA Dra. Cristina FERNÁNDEZ de KIRCHNER Presidente
1
31.
TAIWAN H.E. Chang Chun-hsiung Primer Ministro 
2
32.
LETONIA H.E. Valdis ZATLERS  Presidente 
2
33.
MEXICO S.E. Felipe CALDERON Presidente 
3
34.
ETHIOPIA H.E. Girma WOLDE - GIORGIS Presidente 
1
35.
JORDANIA H. M. Rania AL ABDULLAH Reina 
1
36.
ALEMANIA – Hessen Herr Roland KOCH Ministro Presidente 
10
37.
ALEMANIA – Schleswig-Holstein Herr Peter Harry CARSTENSEN Ministro Presidente 
1
38.
PERU Dr. Yehude SIMON Primer Ministro 
1
39.
ARMENIA H.E. Serzh SARKISYAN Presidente 
2
40.
ARGENTINA (Provincia del Chubut) Dr. Mario DAS NEVES Gobernador 
3
41.
BRASIL – Estado de Mato Grosso Ing. Blairo BORGES MAGGI  Gobernador 
2
42.
BRASIL – Estado de Paraíba Dr. José TARGINO MARANHAO Gobernador 
2
43.
HUNGRIA Hon. Gordon BAJNAI Primer Ministro 
2
44.
BRASIL – Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul Dr. André PUCCINELLI Gobernador 
1
45.
BRASIL – Estado de Pará Arq. Ana Julia de VASCONCELOS CAREPA Gobernadora 
2
46.
CROACIA - Mali Lošinj Ing. Gari CAPPELLI  Intendente
1
47.
CROACIA Jadranka KOSOR  Primera Ministra
1
48.
CROACIA Kardinal Josip BOZANIC Arzobispo de Zagreb
5
49.
AUSTRALIA – New South Wales Mrs. Kristina KENEALLY Premier
1
50.
UCRANIA D. Mykola AZÁROV Premier Ministro
2
51.
CROACIA Dr. Ivo Josipović Presidente
2
52.
REPUBLICA POPULAR CHINA Sr. HAN Mengtang Consejero Cultural Embajada China
5
53.
COLOMBIA Sra. María Clemencia RODRÍGUEZ de SANTOS Primera Dama
2
54.
ECUADOR Lic. Lenin MORENO GARCES Vicepresidente
6
55.
CABO VERDE Dr. Jorge Carlos FONSECA Presidente
1
56.
VIETNAM Lic. Le Thanh Xuan Cónsul Embajada de Vietnam
1
57.
NICARAGUA Sra. Norma MORENO SILVA Embajadora Extraordinaria y Plenipotenciaria
2
58.
INDONESIA Dra. Nurmala Kartini PANDJAITAN SJAHRIR Embajadora Extraordinaria y Plenipotenciaria
12
59.
PARAGUAY Lic. Rodolfo SERAFINI Agregado Cultural Embajada de Paraguay
1
60.
RUMANIA Embajada de Rumania en la República Argentina Embajada de Rumania
10
61.
NIGERIA Sr. Chive Ior KAAVE Embajador
1
62.
ANGOLA Sr. Hermínio Joaquim ESCORCIO Embajador
1
63.
ESLOVAQUIA Sr. Anton JURKOVIC Cónsul Embajada de Eslovaquia
3
64.
FINLANDIA Sr. Jukka SIUKOSAARI Embajador
1
65.
GEORGIA Sra. Nino PHIPHIA Consejera
1
66.
COSTA RICA Sr. Luis Guillermo SOLÍS Presidente
2
67.
CROACIA Sra. Kolinda GRABAR KITAROVIĆ Presidente
1
68.
MONTENEGRO Sr. Duško MARKOVIĆ Primer ministro
1
69.
REPÚBLICA DE COREA Sr. Jinsang JANG Agregado Cultural Embajada
2
70.
HONDURAS Sra. Ivonne BONILLA de DÍAZ Embajadora
1
71.
GUATEMALA Sr. Roque A. ARRIAGA MARTINEZ Cónsul Embajada
1
72.
BOLIVIA Lic. María Nélida ACUÑA Primer Secretaria Emb.
3
73.
PANAMÁ Sr. Carlos MARRÉ - 2022 Primer Vicecónsul Embajada
1


Teresa Perinić de Bellofatto receiving beautiful dolls from Mr. Jinsang Jang, cultural attache of the Republic of Corea.


Teresa Perinić de Bellofatto (2018.): Kada smo bili u U.S.A, moj bratić Francek, sin od moga ujaka Jure Prpića, darovao mi je 4 lutke - indianke. I kada sam bila u Ushuaiu, gdje živi moja kćerka, upoznala sam gospođu Amandu Beban, jako poznatu tamo. Ona je izlagala svoje lutke u "Muzeju na kraja svijeta". Izlagala je samo 350 lutaka od 1.000 što ih ima. Ona mi je darovala 3 lutke.

  • Estados Unidos: Frank Prpić, 4 indian dolls, 2018.
  • Cuba: Amanda Beban, 2018.
  • Suecia: Amanda Beban. 2018.
  • Thailandia: Amanda Beban, 2018.
  • Guatemala: Sr. Roque A. Arriaga Martinez, 49 Muñequitos Quitapenas, 2019.

Australian aborigine donated by premier Kristina Kenefally in 2010

Azerbaijan, gift from president Ilham ALIYEV - 2005 
Russia, gift from president Vladimir PUTIN - 2005 

 

Russia, gift from president Vladimir PUTIN - 2005 
Guayana, gift from Samuel Hinds, prime minister
Philipines, gift from president Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO - 2005 

Taiwan 2008, gift of H.E. Chang Chun-hsiung, prime minister

Afghanistan, gift by Dr. Zeenat Karzai

Ukraine, gift by Mykola Azarov, prime minister in Argentina

 


Chinese dolls Fuwa, official dolls of the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing: their names are 
Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini.



Two Armenian dolls in national costumes donated by H.E. Mr. Serzh Sarkirsyan, president of the Republic of Armenia, to Mrs. Teresa Perinic de Bellofatto, Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more information see Croatia - Armenia.

The doll representing Armenia, donated to Mr. Ljeposlav Perinić
by Armenian community in Argentina in 1969. Source of the photo: Perinic collection.

Many thanks to Mrs. Teresa Perinić, Croatian living in Buenos Aires, daughter of the King of Dolls, for sending me these photos of the dolls that she got as a gift in 2011 from Mr Han Mengtang, attaché of cultural affairs at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Argentina.


In 2017, in Don Torquato, a town near Buenos Aires (where The King of Dolls once lived), 90 years
of its existence was celebrated, on which occasion Teresa Perinic de Bellofatto
prepared an invited exhibition of selected dolls:


Don Torquato press reported about an old exhibtion of the King of Dolls, Ljeposlav Perinic, in 1960s.

It is worth mentioning that during the exhibition held in 1969 in the town of Las Heras in the province of Buenos Aires, as many as 9,500 inhabitants out of 10,000 visited the exhibition, i.e., 95%! During the opening ceremony the Croatian National Anthem Lijepa Nasa (Our Beautiful) was sang by a choir composed of 60 children.

Gift from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan Gift from Eric Williams, Trinidad and Tobago

What is a doll? See a very nice essay written by Ivanka Ivkanec:

ENOVY

Gift from H.E. Ricardo LAGOS ESCOBAR, president of ChileGift from H.E. Sir Clifford HUSBANDS, Governer General of Barbados

Since 1991 Mr. Perinic has obtained new dolls from the following countries:

  1. Island, Prime Minster's office, 1992
  2. France, Danielle Mitterand, a doll in Breton national costume, 1992
  3. Turkey, president Turgut Ozal, 1993
  4. Gift from Chung Hee Park, S. Korea Jordan, queen Noor al Husein, 1993
  5. Spain, Jordi Pujol, president of Catalonia, 3 dolls, 1994
  6. Chile, President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, 1995
  7. Spain, Pedro Sanz Alonso, president of La Rioja (Canary islands, Tenerife), 1995
  8. Spain, Valencia, Joaquin Puig Ferrer, 1995
  9. Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, president, 2 dolls, 1995
  10. Slovakia, Juraj Cvecko, president of the Croatian cultural union in Slovakia, a doll from Hrvatski Grob, 1995
  11. Spain, Mrs. Carmen Gomez, Madrid, donated her private collection of 47 dolls in national costumes to Mr. Perinic. The dolls are from Spain, Portugal, Luxemburg, France (Alsace), Denmark, England, the Vatican, Austria, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Haiti, Brasil, Equador, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Israel (Sabra), Marocco, Egypt. This valuable collection arrived by diplomatic mail to Zagreb in 1996. It occured as a result of an accidental encounter of Mr. Perinic with Mrs. Gomez during his pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.
  12. Slovenia, president Milan Kucan, 6 dolls
  13. Puerto Rico, Pedro Rossello, el Gobernador de Puerto Rico, 1997
  14. Tibet, Dalai Lama (Spiritual leader of Tibetan people and laureate of Nobel prize for peace)

 

Gift from H.E. Marc FORNÉ MOLNÉ, head of Government of the Principality of AndorraGift from Jorge Luis BATLLE IBANEZ, president of Uruguay

  1. ARMENIA Colectividad Armenia en Argentina
  2. CROACIA (Posavina) Nevenka MILICIC 1
  3. CROACIA Unión Eslovena en U.S.A. 2
  4. CROACIA (Koprivnicko Krizevacka Zupanija) Ivan STANCER Gobernador 1
  5. CROACIA (Split) Nadan VIDOSEVIC Gobernador 2
  6. CROACIA (Split) Bozena MARTINCEVIC Artista 3
  7. CROACIA (Zagreb, Trnje) Mira BREBIC Artista 2
  8. CROACIA Unión Croata en Argentina 8
  9. CROACIA (Sestine) Branco MIKSA Intendente 1
  10. CROACIA (Medjimurje) Marijan RAMUSCAK Gobernador 2
  11. CROACIA (Slavonski Brod) Jozo METER Gobernador 2
  12. CROACIA (Krapina/Hrvatsko Zagorije) Bozidar BRUDNIC Gobernador 5
  13. CROACIA (Resnik) Maja KOVACIC Artista 1
  14. CROACIA (Konavle/Dubrovnik) ¿? Gobernador 5
  15. CROACIA (Ston) ¿? Gobernador 2
  16. CROACIA (Pozega) Anto BAGARIC Gobernador 2
  17. CROACIA (Gornja Stubica/Krapina) ¿? Gobernador 2
  18. CROACIA (Lipik) Stjepan HORVAT Intendente 1
  19. EL SALVADOR Maybelline Escalante-ten Hoopen 1
  20. ESLOVAQUIA Unión Eslovaca en Argentina 2
  21. ESLOVAQUIA Juraj CVECKO (Presidente Unión Cultural Croata) 1
  22. ESLOVENIA Unión Eslovena en U.S.A. 2
  23. ESTONIA Unión de Estonia en Argentina 1
  24. ESPAÑA (Valencia) Joaquín PUIG FERRER Gobernador 2
  25. ESPAÑA Carmen GOMEZ 47
  26. ESPAÑA (Galicia) Xunta de Galicia – Manuel FRAGA IRIBARNE Gobernador 2
  27. ESPAÑA (Cataluña) Jordi PUJOL Gobernador 3
  28. ESPAÑA (La Rioja/Tenerife) Pedro SANZ ALONSO Gobernador 1
  29. LETONIA Unión Letona en Argentina 1
  30. LITUANIA Unión Lituana en U.S.A. 1
  31. NUEVA ZELANDIA Obitelj VERTES 1
  32. YUGOSLAVIA (Subotica) Matica Croata 1

 

Gift from H.E. Emile LAHUD, president of LebanonGift from H.E. Emile LAHUD, president of Lebanon

We are glad and proud to announce that the first doll for The King of Dolls' collection that arrived in the 21st century (and in the third millennium) came from the Czech Republic, in a very nice national costume, and with the accompanying letter signed by His Excellency Mr. Vaclav Klaus, president of the state:

Czech doll, 2004Czech dollLetter from Czech president Vaclav Klaus

Also dolls from various parts of Croatia have been donated: Zagreb, Sinj, Split, Prigorje, Posavina, Sestine, Podravina, Pozega, Krapina, Dubrovnik, Ston, Brod, Medjimurje, Lipik.



Pristupnica za članstvo u Društvu prijatelja glagoljice, koju je svojom rukom ispunio g. Ljeposlav Perinić.
U rubriku Zvanje (titula) duhovito je upisao KRALJ LUTAKA.


Bibliography of Ljeposlav Perinic, Lexicon of the Croats in Argentina.

Gift of the city of Split, Croatia Gift of the city of Zagreb, Croatia

e-mail: Zdravka Teresa Perinic de Bellofatto

This web page has been prepared by Darko Zubrinic in cooperation
with Mr. Perinic in September 1999.

Authors of this web page, 2001

KADA BI LUTKE GOVORILE...
lecture delivered by Mr Perinic for Croatian community in Argentina and Canada

Teresa with her father in Zagreb 2001, Zrinjevac
The King of Dolls in Zagreb, 2001, Zrinjevac





Video: A short story about the King of Dolls by Croatian TV

Perinić Collection

munecasperinic.wordpress.com


Croatia - an overview of its History, Culture and Science