Postcard Image

Postcard Image
As the Victorian era passed into the Edwardian and Roaring Twenties, a market developed for bisque and china bawdy novelties and figurines of women in revealing outfits. Although now most of these figurines seem more coy and cute than ribald and risque, in their time they symbolized the casting off of the perceived restraints of the Victorian era.

These little lovelies included bathing beauties, who came clad in swimsuits of real lace or in stylish painted beach wear, as well as mermaids, harem ladies, and nudies, who were meant to wear nothing more than an engaging smile. Also produced were flippers, innocent appearing figurines who reveal a bawdy secret when flipped over, and squirters, figurines that were meant to squirt water out of an appropriate orifice.

Most were manufactured in Germany from the late 1800s through the 1930s, often showing remarkable artistry and imagination, with Japan entering the market during World War I.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May,


Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
To-morrow will be dying.
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)


I took this picture for another project, but I liked it so much I decided to include it on my blog.  Both bisque bathing beauties are by Galluba and Hofmann and have their original net bathing suits; the more mature lady, a bathing belle fully deserving of the much-abused adjective "rare," has her original wig as well.  Her expression seems to say, "Let's just see how cute you'll be in another 30 years, buttercup."

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