Prof. Ruggeri and Plaster/ chalkware

[acartia]

What better memories did some of us kids in the 1950s have, than trying to win a prize at the fairs or showgrounds in sideshow alley. Well back then many of the prizes were Plaster of Paris/Chalkware figurines. People,dogs,cats, horses, birds etc etc made of plaster and painted, was what every kid wanted to win (usually there were bits broken off after it had been thrown in the showbag and lugged around all day,and bumped on various bumper car rides etc!!). Anyhow those days are long gone for plasterware at shows. Now I have a question. A local Italian chap made many of these plaster figurines for our shows and fairs in West Australia. As a lover and collector of things from the past, I run into his better works, which he sometimes signed(incised to be correct) Prof.Ruggeri. Was this chap a professor?! or teacher maybe,I used to wonder, but more likely do you think that Prof. can be a shortening of a long Italian first name? John.