Twin Peaks Set Decoration – UCTCI Pigtail Figure at The Hurley House

There is an undeniable coziness to Twin Peaks that contrasts with its dark subject matter to create a tone that is wholly unique. Part of this coziness is established by the show’s believable clutter, and the set decorations at the Hurley residence are a prime example. Nadine Hurley loves her knickknacks, and one item from her collection that has always stood out to me is this mid-century figure of a girl wearing pigtails.

UCTCI PIGTAIL FIGURE REPLICA

I recently tracked down a replica of this piece, but to my disappointment, there was no manufacturer information present.

There was, however, a label indicating that it was made in Japan. This at least gave me a lead.

WHAT IS UCTCI JAPAN?

After a bit more research, I concluded that this was almost certainly made by UCTCI in Japan and exported to the United States.

Online listings for similarly slender figures with closed eyes and prominent lashes feature a square “UCTCI JAPAN” label.

In the 1960s and 70s, UCTCI produced stoneware and ceramics, often depicting children or animals in soft colors.

The girl in this design appears to be holding a small pot of sorts. At first glance, I thought it may have been intended to hold a candlestick, but judging by the tiny bristles in my replica’s pot, it may have actually held little fake flowers at one point.

In Twin Peaks, Nadine seems to have stuffed bright pink tissue paper into the pot.

UCTCI PIGTAIL FIGURE APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS

This piece first appears in episode 1.002 as Big Ed Hurley attempts to tiptoe past Nadine’s trinkets unnoticed. We see the back of the figure’s tilted head before Ed trips over Nadine’s drape runners, greasing her cotton balls in the process.

The contrast between Nadine’s fragile curio and her ability to break the metal arms off of a rowing machine in a fit of rage always gives me a chuckle.

Episode 1.003 offers the clearest view of the pigtailed figure. The camera pans across the items on the shelf, landing on Big Ed examining the newest addition.

A touch of gold is present in this figure’s paint job that is not present on my replica, and though it is difficult to see in motion, there may be glitter on the girl’s cheek. Touches like this were sometimes added to props and set decorations to make them less identifiable, but it is just as likely that different variants were manufactured or that my replica lost some of its detail with age.

In episode 1.006, Big Ed walks past the trinket shelf to find a dejected Nadine eating bonbons on the couch. The UCTCI figure’s bulbous head is barely visible to the left of the ceramic boot from Bobby McGee’s Conglomeration.

Though there are several more episodes where this shelf is prominently featured, this is the last time this piece is clearly visible. It is presumably still present in the second season, but due to the camera angles and the frequency with which this shelf is rearranged, the pigtail figure remains hidden.