The E. M. Viquesney Doughboy Database
  • Welcome / Contact
  • Site Map
  • Introduction
  • "Our Mr. Wesley"
  • Earl D. Goldsmith
  • Les Kopel
  • "E. M. Viquesney, Sculptor"
  • "The Spirit of the American Doughboy"
    • The Sheet Bronze Doughboys
    • The Stone Doughboys
    • The Cast Zinc Doughboys
    • Walter Rylander Copies
    • Modern Replicas
  • Currently Known Viquesney Doughboy Locations
    • Alabama >
      • Anniston, Alabama
      • Bessemer, Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama
    • Arizona >
      • Kingman, Arizona
    • Arkansas >
      • Fort Smith, Arkansas
      • Helena, Arkansas
    • Colorado >
      • Colorado Springs, Colorado
    • Connecticut >
      • Bethel, Connecticut
      • North Canaan, Connecticut
    • Florida >
      • Clearwater, Florida
      • Palatka, Florida
      • Sarasota, Florida (1998 Copy)
    • Georgia >
      • Americus, Georgia
      • Griffin, Georgia
      • Madison, Georgia
      • Nashville, Georgia
      • Summerville, Georgia >
        • *Trion, Georgia
      • Waycross, Georgia
    • Idaho >
      • Payette, Idaho
    • Illinois >
      • Alton, Illinois
      • *Chicago (Lincoln Park), Illinois
      • Chicago (Soldier Field), Illinois
      • Columbia, Illinois
      • Herrin, Illinois
      • Naperville, Illinois
    • Indiana >
      • Attica, Indiana
      • Evansville, Indiana
      • Fort Wayne, Indiana
      • Greencastle, Indiana
      • Hartford City, Indiana
      • Hobart, Indiana
      • Muncie, Indiana
      • New Castle, Indiana
      • Peru, Indiana
      • Spencer, Indiana
      • Winchester, Indiana
    • Iowa >
      • Mason City, Iowa
      • Mechanicsville, Iowa
    • Kansas >
      • Axtell, Kansas
      • Oakley, Kansas
      • Parsons, Kansas
    • Kentucky >
      • Grayson, Kentucky
      • Harlan, Kentucky
      • Jamestown, Kentucky
      • Liberty, Kentucky
      • Monticello, Kentucky
      • Morehead, Kentucky
      • Pikeville, Kentucky
      • Winchester, Kentucky
    • Maine >
      • Lincoln, Maine
    • Maryland >
      • Crisfield, Maryland
      • Emmitsburg, Maryland
    • Massachusetts >
      • Winchendon, Massachusetts
    • Michigan >
      • Berkley, Michigan
      • St. Joseph, Michigan
    • Minnesota >
      • New Ulm, Minnesota (1995 Bronze Replica)
    • Mississippi >
      • Meridian, Mississippi
    • Missouri >
      • Bolivar, Missouri
      • Lexington, Missouri
      • Lexington, Missouri - Styrofoam Replica
      • Sedalia, Missouri
    • Montana >
      • Columbia Falls, Montana >
        • *Kalispell, Montana
      • Fort Benton, Montana
    • *Nebraska >
      • *Omaha, Nebraska
    • New Jersey >
      • Belmar, New Jersey
      • Dover, New Jersey
      • Fair Haven, New Jersey
      • Frenchtown, New Jersey
      • Matawan, New Jersey
      • Perth Amboy, New Jersey
      • Roselle Park, New Jersey
      • Secaucus, New Jersey
    • New York >
      • Castile, New York
      • Harrison, New York
      • *Vestal, New York
    • North Carolina >
      • Charlotte, North Carolina
      • Nashsville, North Carolina
    • Ohio >
      • Akron, Ohio
      • *Blue Ash (Cincinnati), Ohio
      • Crooksville, Ohio
      • Fostoria, Ohio
      • Gallipolis, Ohio
      • Marion, Ohio
      • Newark, Ohio
      • New Philadelphia, Ohio
      • St. Bernard (Cincinnati), Ohio
      • Swanton, Ohio
      • Warren, Ohio
      • Woodville, Ohio
      • Zanesville, Ohio
    • Oklahoma >
      • Cherokee, Oklahoma
      • Granite, Oklahoma
      • Henryetta, Oklahoma
      • Hobart, Oklahoma
      • Muskogee, Oklahoma
    • Pennsylvania >
      • Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
      • Egypt, Pennsylvania
      • Forest City, Pennsylvania
      • Indiana, Pennsylvania
      • Lancaster, Pennsylvania
      • Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
      • Oil City, Pennsylvania
      • Scottdale, Pennsylvania
      • Scranton, Pennsylvania (2018 Bronze Replica)
      • Scranton, Pennsylvania (Original)
      • Tatamy, Pennsylvania
      • Verona, Pennsylvania
    • South Carolina >
      • Anderson, South Carolina
      • Columbia, South Carolina (2002 Copy)
      • Greenville, South Carolina (2004 Bronze Replica)
      • Greenville, South Carolina (Original)
      • Olympia (Columbia), South Carolina
    • South Dakota >
      • Bullhead, South Dakota
    • Tennessee >
      • Johnson City, Tennessee
    • Texas >
      • Canyon, Texas
      • Crowell, Texas
      • Fort Worth, Texas
      • Groesbeck, Texas
      • Lufkin, Texas
      • New Braunfels, Texas
      • Sinton, Texas
      • Vernon, Texas
      • Wichita Falls, Texas
    • Utah >
      • Beaver, Utah
      • Mount Pleasant, Utah
      • Price, Utah >
        • *Hiawatha, Utah
      • Vernal, Utah
    • Vermont >
      • Enosburg Falls, Vermont
      • St. Albans, Vermont
    • Virginia >
      • Petersburg, Virginia
    • Washington >
      • Aberdeen, Washington
    • West Virginia >
      • Logan, West Virginia
      • Madison, West Virginia
      • Philippi, West Virginia
      • Wheeling, West Virginia
    • Wisconsin >
      • Appleton, Wisconsin (2017 Bronze Replica)
      • Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
      • Janesville, Wisconsin
      • Markesan, Wisconsin
      • Peshtigo, Wisconsin
      • West Bend, Wisconsin
    • Wyoming >
      • Rock Springs, Wyoming
    • Other States
  • Repair, Restoration, and Conservation (Outdoor Monuments)
  • The Miniature Doughboys
    • The "American Doughboy Art Lamp"
    • Miniature Doughboy FAQs
    • Repair, Restoration, and Conservation (Miniatures)
  • Other Works by E. M. Viquesney
    • 1904: The Early Years
    • 1905-1915: Civil War Memorials
    • 1916: Booklet Illustrations
    • 1920: Burial Vault Patent
    • 1921: The Rylander Theatre
    • 1922: The "Imp-O-Luck"
    • 1922: The United States Infantry Association Trophy
    • 1923: The Klan-Lite
    • 1923 (est.) - "GOB" - "The Spirit of the American Sailor"
    • 1925: The Viquesney Block
    • 1926: "The Spirit of the American Navy"
    • 1927: "The Spirit of the Skies"
    • 1928: The Tivoli Theatre
    • 1928: Plaque at Malvern, Pennsylvania
    • 1929: "Mother" (Madonna and Child)
    • 1930: "Zero Hour"
    • 1930: Flanders Cross Memorial
    • 1930s (est.) - Joan of Arc
    • 1930s (est): Service Plaque
    • 1931: Knute Rockne Bust
    • 1934: "The Unveiling"
    • 1935: Viquesney's Version of "Over the Top"
    • 1935 (est.): Memorial to the Women of the Confederacy
    • 1936: "Resting Doughboy"
    • 1936 (est.): Alf Landon Bust
    • 1936, 1937: "The Spirit of America" / "The Spirit of the Flag",
    • 1938: "Lincoln as an Indiana Boy" >
      • Guido Rebechini's Lincoln Lookalike
    • 1939: Soldiers Memorial Pavilion
    • 1940: "Creation"
    • 1942: "The Yanks Again", "Eagle's Watch", and "Remember Pearl Harbor"
    • 1943: "The Spirit of the Fighting Yank" >
      • Chicago, Illinois
      • Bloomington, Indiana
      • Port Huron, Michigan
      • Belmont, North Carolina
      • Oil City, Pennsylvania
    • 1946: "Comrades", Viquesney's Last Piece
    • Career-long Output: Plaques, Grave Markers
  • "And So the Scene Closes"
  • Carrying On: Frederic L. Hollis
  • E. M. Viquesney vs. John Paulding
    • Paulding's Model 2043-A
    • Paulding's Model 2043-B
    • Paulding's Model 2043-C
    • Paulding's Model 2043-D
  • Viquesney Doughboy Lookalikes and Derivatives
    • Greenville, Alabama (Engraved Panel)
    • Montgomery, Alabama
    • Tampa, Florida
    • New Orleans, Louisiana
    • Union City (West Hoboken), New Jersey
    • Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
    • Franklin, Pennsylvania
    • Arcadia, Wisconsin
    • The McNeel Marble Co. Doughboys >
      • Eufaula, Alabama
      • Headland, Alabama
      • Troy, North Carolina
      • Clarksville, Tennessee
      • Texarkana, Texas
    • Eagle Bronze Works, Fiske Iron Works Doughboys
    • Walter A. Sinz Doughboys
    • Other Viquesney-Inspired Lookalikes
  • Viquesney Doughboy Myths
  • Viquesney Document Archive
  • Epilogue

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Above: Viquesney's wildly popular "Imp-O-Luck" keychain medallion. Photos: eBay.
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A postcard ad for the Imp-O-Luck coin. Photo: eBay.

1922 (PATENTED 1923): THE "IMP-O-LUCK"

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Although Viquesney's 12-inch miniature desktop Doughboy statuette sold in the thousands, Viquesney's actual best seller by far, in terms of actual unit sales, was a good-luck piece created in 1922 and patented in 1923 called the "Imp-O-Luck". It consisted of a Leprechaun-like figure surrounded by horseshoes and four-leaf clovers and came in a variety of forms, from keychain charms (above) to statuettes, tie pins, incense burners, lamps, and an expandable ring. Some of the versions are shown here. The oxidized silver keychain piece alone sold in the "jillions", according to Viquesney researcher T. Perry Wesley. In its first full year of production (1924), the post office in Spencer, Indiana logged 100,000 parcels from the Imp-O-Luck Company. Most were the keychain piece. At 98 cents each, that was quite a haul, especially in 1920s dollars.

So successful was the "Imp-O-Luck" that as an advertising gimmick, Viquesney made an 11-foot version to stand on the roof of his downtown Spencer, Indiana studio building. It can be seen at left in a detail of a rare surviving photo provided to us by Vic Kinney, President and Museum Curator, Owen County Heritage & Culture Center. The Imp-O-Luck Company ceased production of the item sometime after May, 1929.

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The popular statuette version of the ''Imp-O-Luck'', about 6'' tall. Photo: eBay. Now in the J. Gary Shaw collection.
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Detail of the rare tie-pin 'Imp-O-Luck' (about 1/2' wide). Photo: eBay.
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The label on the bottom of the ''Imp-O-Luck'' statuette. Photo: eBay.
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An ''Imp-O-Luck'' ashtray. Other designs were modified into incense burners and electric lamps. Photo: Harlan Ogle, Monticello, KY.
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Above: Patent drawings for the "Imp-O-Luck statuette (left), 1923, and the 1924 ash tray version.
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"CHARMEE" PERFUME BOTTLE

A related piece sold by the Imp-O-luck Company was this porcelain and metal "lucky god" figurine titled "CHARMEE". It was produced as a perfume bottle. The generic name for this type of sculpture is "Billiken". Made by many companies, it often appeared as a Buddha-like figurine and was popular from 1908 through the 1920s. "CHARMEE" apparently was Viquesney's attempt to cash in on the craze. A label on the bottom is imprinted with the Imp-O-Luck Company name, but the metal top is marked "Germany", indicating some or all components of these pieces were imported and then sold through Viquesney's company.
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Photo: eBay.
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Links:
churchofgoodluck.com
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