Bawdy Bisques and Naughty Novelties

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-02-08T19:10:00.000-06:00

Ms. #458 balances on one knee as she stares intently at the golden ball held in her right hand. The art deco period produced an entire genre of slim athletic nudes balancing balls as they danced, so perhaps she is in the midst of a dance routine. Her complex pose required multiple molds and she is of excellent bisque. By William Goebel, this belle of the ball is 4 inches tall and is incised “i746” under her right thigh. Her molded dark pink pumps are edged in yellow; trimming molded shoes with contrasting colors was a typical Goebel technique. She retains her original, although disheveled, blonde mohair wig. Goebel wigs were often little more than a hank of mohair wrapped around the head and held in place at the sides with small decorative pins and they tend to unravel over time.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-02-01T18:56:00.000-06:00

Ms. #456 kneels in a colorful belted bathing suit of the type found in the late 1920s to the 1930s. Although simply molded, she is beautifully modeled and decorated. Of excellent bisque, she is 3.5 inches tall and is incised “Germany 8054” across her buttocks.

Where the (Beach) Boys Are

2012-01-30T20:48:00.002-06:00

One question I am often asked is whether there are male bathing beauties, probably better referred to as beach boys. Yes, there are, but they are far, far outnumbered by their female counterparts. Most beach boys are comic figurines, as is demonstrated by this piece by Schafer and Vater. Incised with Schafer's crowned sunburst and "9593," as well as stamped "Made in Germany," this buffoonish bather is 4.5 inches tall.

Another comic figurine, this one is a nodder, and the man's head bobs up and down. He has a wonderful character face and his large hands and feet are beautifully detailed. He is incised "11" on the back of his head and "9311" on the back bottom edge of his robe. Of excellent sharp bisque, he is 6 inches tall.

Not all beach boys are comic. This handsome hunk by Hertwig and Company relaxes on the beach with a book, showing he has both brains and brawn. Of good china, he is stamped "Germany" and incised "544." He is 4 inches long.

I NEED A MAN. More specifically, I need one of these guys. . . .

This page from a 1990 Theriault's auction catalogue features two of the elusive beach boys made by Galluba and Hofmann.

You can see one of the Galluba guys in this company catalogue page on the second row to the far left. Every collector has that one piece he or she feels in necessary to complete his collection, and for me, it would be an example of one of these male bathers. Someday my prince, or least a Galluba beach boy, will come (I hope). If anyone out there knows where one of these bisque bathing bachelors is available, let me know. I have a harem of lovely ladies who will welcome him.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-01-25T18:40:00.002-06:00

Ms. #455 looks lovely as she luxuriates in her ruffle-edged bathtub. Her sultry face is beautifully painted and her graceful hands are delicately modeled.

Her bisque bath is actually a box and when the lid is lifted off, underneath is a completely different view of this literal bathing beauty. This naughty novelty is 4 inches long and 3.5 inches tall There appears to be "42" incised under the lid by her bare bottom.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-01-18T21:36:00.000-06:00

Ms. #454 is a very voluptuous bisque beauty in black stockings. She perches on the edge of a jasperware basket which may have once held matches or toothpicks. Of the finest bisque, modeling, and decoration, this luscious lass is 6.75 inches Although she resembles similar ladies by Schafer and Vater, I think she is from another German maker. She is unmarked except for a freehand brown “6” on bottom of base.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-01-11T19:37:00.001-06:00

Ms. #488 is undoubtedly the sister of Ms. #453, last week's featured bathing beauty. While Ms. #453 was lovely in lavender, Ms. #488 is pretty in pink. She sits on a settee, cuddling her kitty cat. The detailing is delightful, even to the "fur" throw over the arm of the little loveseat, Also unmarked, but of fine German quality, this charmer and her cat are 2.75 inches long and 3.75 inches tall. Like her sister, her gown is trimmed with applied porcelain lace,

A Flurry of Fairies

2012-01-09T20:34:00.000-06:00

This pretty pixie is pictured in my second book on page 132. Her slender body has subtle curves and she is 3.5 inches long. Of good bisque and delicately decorated, she is unmarked. There is a small hole between her pastel wings, allowing her to "fly" from a bit of string.

Another shapely sprite, this one molded to kneel on the edge of a shelf. She is obviously from the same supernatural series, which I attribute to Hertwig and Company.

This little fairy is marked "Germany" in a circle on her extended foot. Of the same good bisque and decoration, she is 3.5 inches long.

Also marked "Germany" in a circle, this unfortunate fairy must have fluttered into a spiderweb, because she has lost one of her gossamer wings. However, these nude nubile nixies are so scarce, even missing a wing she is still collectible. She is 2 inches high.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2012-01-04T20:25:00.000-06:00

Ms. #453, lovely in lavender, lounges on a little loveseat, joined by a feline companion. I am not sure what she is holding up against her head; perhaps it is an icepack, soothing the result of too much partying on New Year's Eve. Of good quality bisque and finely detailed and decorated, this pretty miss and her pussycat are 3 inches long and high. Her flowing gown is edged with applied porcelain lace. There are no marks, but this piece is of fine German quality.

Bathing Beauties of the Week

2011-12-28T19:48:00.001-06:00

This quartet of china curvaceous cuties is by William Goebel. These are diminutive damsels, as the one sitting the yellow hooded “wicker chair” is only 2.5 inches high. She also is the only one that is marked, as underneath the chair is incised with William Goebel's intertwined “G” and “W” under crown and what appears to be “P.O.” over “641.”

Making an Ass of Himself

2011-12-26T21:02:00.000-06:00

This comic bisque pin dish by Schafer and Vater features a very voluptuous bathing belle being held by a rather flustered beau. The caption, " I Never Felt Such an Ass in All My Life," is a double entendre, as can be read as meaning either that the man is feeling foolish or his female friend's ample hindquarters.

And here is the postcard that inspired the pin dish. The artist is Donald Fraser Gould McGill (1875 – 1962), an English graphic artist renown for his naughty postcards, which often featured double entendres and saucy sight gags. Many of his postcards portrayed seaside scenes and were sold as souvenirs at British beach resorts.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2011-12-21T22:13:00.000-06:00

Ms. #450 is an unusual bathing beauty and a bit of a mystery. Unmarked, she is 5.5 inches high and wears a mohair wig. Although she clearly meant to be standing, there are no holes in the soles of her feet for supporting rods. Perhaps she was once attached to a bisque base with plaster or glue. She is of excellent bisque and is beautifully modeled.

Bathing Beauty (?!) of the Week

2011-12-14T18:32:00.000-06:00

This week features a naughty novelty rather than a bathing belle. Mr. #448 is a clown who appears to have misplaced his seltzer bottle or squirting flower and is substituting a more personal appendage. Incised "649" on his buttocks, this bisque buffoon is 3.25 inches high. There is a lip around his molded orange-brown cap that once held a rubber bulb, and when he was filled with water and the bulb squeezed, a stream of water came out of the appropriate orifice.

Delightful Dancing Damsel by A.W. Fr. Kister

2011-12-12T21:18:00.000-06:00

This gorgeous dancing girl is by my favorite maker, A.W. Fr. Kister. She is 8 inches tall and is of the superb bisque and workmanship typical of Kister.

Her modeling is magnificent, from her graceful hands to her long lithe legs clad in molded white stockings. She wears a replacement mohair wig and I added the frilled tiny pink and blue tutu (which matches her shoes), transforming her into an exquisite entertainer on stage at some elegant carbaret or nightclub. I wonder how she was originally dressed!

Underneath the base she is incised with the crosshatched "S" mark of A.W. Fr. Kister and "3" over "12040."

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2011-12-07T19:58:00.001-06:00

Ms. #447 is a mischievous maiden, tugging down the front of her bathing suit to expose one round breast. There is a molded lip atop her bathing cap and it once held a rubber bulb; when she was filled with water and the bulb squeezed, water sprayed from her bare breast. She is quite nicely modeled for this type of naughty novelty. Of good bisque and decoration, she is 3.5 inches long and is incised "7403" across her upper back.

Bubbly Belles

2011-12-04T18:45:00.000-06:00

This is the time of the year of popping corks and crystal glasses filled with golden champagne and sparkling wine. These two bisque beauties appear to bubble with glee and goodwill as they raise their glasses filled with their favorite sparkling beverage.

Her voluptuous form barely contained by her fanciful outfit, this lovely lass leans against a giant champagne cork as she prepares to pour some wine. Of excellent sharp bisque, she is 5 inches long and 3 inches high.

The cork, of green precolored bisque, is open at the top to hold matches or toothpicks. On the back is incised "Kaiser Sect Kloss u Forster." The wine house Kloss and Foerster was founded by Moritz and Julius Kloss and Carl Foerster in Freyburg, Germany in 1856. "Kaiser Sect" may refer to the fact that Kaiser Wilhelm II was said to be fond of the firm's sparkling wine, known as "Sekt."

No doubt by the same maker and from the same series, this buxom belle briefly clad in blue shows off her shapely legs in bright yellow stockings. At first I thought she was holding a folded fan in her raised left hand, but closer inspection shows that it is champagne flute overflowing with foam. She is 4.25 inches wide and 4 inches tall. The front of her cork is incised "Henkell Trocken," another German wine company, founded in 1856, known for its sparkling wine. I wonder if these pieces were produced specifically as advertisements for these wine firms, or just simply acknowledge the popularity of these bubbling beverages.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2011-11-30T18:24:00.000-06:00

Ms. #446 is sweet and petite. Just 2.5 inches long, she is nicely modeled from good bisque with delicate arms and legs free from her body. She has an old, and possibly original, blonde mohair wig and ecru lace dress with a yellow ribbon sash and matching ecru lace panties. There are no visible marks.

Heart-Breaker by the Breakers

2011-11-27T20:35:00.000-06:00

This funny Valentine featuring a big-eyed bathing beauty was printed by George S. Carrington Greeting Card Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois, probably in the 1920s.

Seven inches tall, the flapper bathing belle's head swings back and forth on a small metal brad, allowing her to make big bright googly eyes to admirers on both sides. The caption reads "Oh, You Heart-Breaker."

This is a pair of canvas bathing shoes from the same period, similar to those donned by the Valentine bather above. They are as narrow as they look; they fit my AAAA feet just fine, but are probably too small for most of today's beach-goers.

Bathing Beauty of the Week

2011-11-23T22:00:00.000-06:00

Most appropriately for Thanksgiving, Ms. #442 shows off a very shapely pair of drumsticks. Of fine sharp bisque, this boisterous belle is 4.5 inches tall and 2.75 inches wide . Although unmarked, she is by the German firm of Schafer and Vater.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 62 Redux

2011-11-17T21:02:00.000-06:00

Someone asked about Ms. #441's odd pose and what she is supposed to be doing. Here she is again, this time demonstrating with a sister Galluba that she is positioned to share a whispered confidence ("Don't look now, darling, but I think we forgot to put on our dresses, again.")

Now that I have revitalized this blog, I am going to slow down a bit, and instead of a bathing beauty a day, I will post each Wednesday a bather of the week. This will be in addition to any other postings I think might be of interest to the collecting community, but rest assured that something will be posted to this blog at least once a week.

Also, as of December 1, 2011, my old website will cease to exist. I will finish transferring all the remaining information from the website to this blog before then.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 62

2011-11-16T22:11:00.000-06:00

Ms. #441 is a dainty damsel by Galluba and Hofmann. This 6.5 inch tall bisque seated lady has retained her original dark blonde mohair wig with a dark red silk headband trimmed in black beads, but the rest of her Edwardian elegance has been lost to time. Now she is clad only in her molded white one-piece underwear, pale blue ribbed stockings, and bronze boots. She is incised “412” under her seat.

Big Girls Don't Cry . . . .

2011-11-15T21:14:00.000-06:00

. . . . especially when they are this extraordinarily large and lovely. This gorgeous Galluba and Hofmann bisque bathing beauty is 12 inches high. She retains her original mohair wig and is incised "426" under her base.

A close up pf her face shows the extraordinary detail of her face, including tiny teeth painted between her full parted lips. Her bisque has the soft, subtle sheen of just-washed skin.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 61

2011-11-14T21:59:00.001-06:00

Ms. #440 is a lissome leggy lass happy to hold your matches or toothpicks. This 4.75 inch tall figurine features the lady in sharp tinted bisque, while her basket is of precolored green bisque. The piece is incised on back "5516" and painted with a "14" in black under the basket.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 60

2011-11-13T17:47:00.000-06:00

If Ms #450 has a family resemblance to Ms. #381, it is because she is also by the German firm of Ernst Bohne Söhne, and she carries another version of the company's mark, a blue stamp of a crowned "N." Of excellent bisque and decoration, she is 3.75 inches high. Like her sister, the treatment of her tresses is unusual, as she has applied bisque curls in the front and molded combmarked locks in the back.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 59

2011-11-12T18:21:00.000-06:00

Ms. #438 is a finned female atop a fantastic flower frog. The 4.5 inch tall china frog features a lovely split-tail lorelei gracefully diving into the deep. Other than a freehand red “41” underneath, the piece is unmarked, but is of fine German quality.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 58

2011-11-11T17:30:00.001-06:00

Delicate and diminutive Ms. #437 is only 2 inches long and tall. Of excellent bisque and modeling, there are even applied pink roses with tiny petals and green leaves in her dark blonde hair. Stamped in black underneath "Bavaria," she is by William Goebel.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 57

2011-11-10T17:16:00.000-06:00

Ms. #436 is another harem lady, this time in the form of a pincushion doll. Of good china and well painted for her petite size, this small sultana is 2.75 inches tall. She is unmarked, except for tiny freehand numbers "141" in black.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 56

2011-11-09T18:57:00.000-06:00

Ms. #434 is a large and lovely harem dancer by Dressel, Kister, and Company. Of excellent china and beautifully detailed and decorated, this 12 inch tall sultry sultana stands on a 1.5 inch tall wooden base. Although unmarked, she is pictured, posing on a similar wooden base, in a 1911 Dressel catalogue. Next to her is a silver cigarette case with an enameled picture of a nude in an almost identical pose. Dressel often copied popular paintings and postcards of the day, but so far I have been unable to locate the original image that inspired both the case and figurine.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 55

2011-11-08T21:54:00.000-06:00

Ms. #432 is a sister of Ms. #431 and is also attributed to Fasold and Stauch. Of good quality china and decoration, this 5 inch long bathing beauty is incised "180" underneath. Her left hand is pierced to hold an object.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 54

2011-11-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

Lovely in lavender, Ms. #431 may be by Fasold and Stauch. Of fine china and decoration, she is 3 inches tall and long and is incised "183" on her lower back. Her left hand is pierced so that she could hold an object, like a little paper parasol.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 53

2011-11-06T18:34:00.000-06:00

Ms. #427 is the sister of the previous Ms. #426, and like her sibling, inspired by the Barrison Sisters. Not only is she shamelessly exposing her legs, she is even smoking a cigarette or slender cigar! The Five Barrison Sisters posed in similar costumes, all holding cigarettes, a suggestive and scandalous gesture for a woman in the 1890s. This china coquette is 5 inches long and is unmarked.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 52

2011-11-05T18:30:00.000-05:00

Ms. # 426 is yet another figurine inspired by the bawdy Barrison Sisters. The costume worn by this 5 inch long china coquette is molded after those worn by the five sisters during their stage act. There are no marks.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 51

2011-11-04T17:15:00.000-05:00

Ms. #425 reclines on a ponderous powder box shaped like a seashell. This 7.5 inch long, 5.5 inch box of bathing beauty lying on a realistic whelk shell is of good bisque and is well modeled and decorated. The top if the shell lifts off to reveal the recess within. The piece is incised "4343" on back lower edge of box.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 50

2011-11-03T19:37:00.000-05:00

Ms. #422 is a bathing beauty who really rocks. This 3.5 inch comic character is a nodder, swaying from side to side on her sturdy legs. Although unmarked, she is certainly from the firm of Schafer and Vater, who made a number of figurines featuring such obese bathing belles.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 49

2011-11-02T21:57:00.000-05:00

Ms. #419 is a ravishing redhead who is as big as she is beautiful. This 11 inch long china nude has striking large amber eyes completely outlined in black and surrounded by gray shadows. Of the finest china and decoration, she is incised underneath “7156” and marked with a free hand “134” in flesh tone. She is attributed to the German firm of Fasold and Stauch.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 48

2011-11-01T18:43:00.000-05:00

Ms. #418 is a tambourine-playing harem dancer. This 5.5 inch tall and 2.5 inch wide china vase, although marked underneath only with a freehand black "5," is from the German firm of Schafer and Vater.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 47

2011-10-29T20:39:00.000-05:00

Ms. #417 sits shyly on the edge of her elaborate bath tub. Of excellent sharp bisque, this belle and her bath are 4.5 inches high and 4 inches long. There are no marks.

I will not be posting tomorrow or Monday. Please check back on Tuesday!

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 46

2011-10-28T20:08:00.000-05:00

Ms. #416 is a working girl, as this 8 inch tall china bathing beauty is actually a bottle (she comes apart at the waist). Incised underneath “Germany 5490,” she is nicely decorated, especially the art deco design on her cloak.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 45

2011-10-27T19:08:00.000-05:00

Ms. #415 casts a sultry look over her feather fan. This 4 inch tall china kneeling nude does have the most extraordinary large amber eyes, shadowed in gray. Although unmarked, she is attributed to the German firm of Fasold and Stauch.

Bathing Beauties of the Day; Day 44

2011-10-26T23:17:00.000-05:00

Misses #414 are another toothsome twosome. This 3 inch tall china perfume bottle of two bathing beauties is based on a drawing by Anne Harriet Fish (1890-1964), a British artist and illustrator. Her work appeared in Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Tatler and she created designs for Fulper Pottery and Hubley Manufacturing Company, who made cast iron toys and novelties, such as doorstops. The bottle is stamped underneath “Bavaria” and is incised “X.F. 269,” “Dep,” and with the William Goebel crown mark.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 43

2011-10-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

Misses #413 are an unusual pair of china charmers. Incised "5683 Foreign," this figurine is probably by Hertwig and Company of Germany. The lady in the green beach pajamas has her left hand pierced to hold a paper parasol. Made of good china, the faces are nicely, although simply painted, and the painting on the suits shows the rather hasty application common on these little early novelties. The orange trim is cold painted, not fired in, and does show some minor wear. Cold painting is a decorative technique widely used by German companies in the 1920s and 1930s. Although of average quality, the fact that the figurine is of double bathing belles makes it scarce and desirable.

Unfortunately, while this antique original is hard to find, modern reproductions are not. This couple was first copied by the German Doll Company (GDC), which acquired the original molds. The original GDC reissues carried the company's blue clown mark. However different copies, both in bisque and china, began appearing in Germany, either made from another old mold or from molds taken off of the GDC product. The quality of the slip and decoration of these German copies is far superior to that of the antique item. On the other hand, Mundial Company of Belgium is currently producing a china copy (Ref: HR251). In the Mundial copy, the workmanship is far inferior to the antique original, and the figurine has been made to look worn and dirty. Mundial does not mark its products and the copies are turning up in antique markets and online auctions, where they may be misrepresented, either innocently or intentionally, as antique or vintage.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 42

2011-10-24T21:33:00.000-05:00

Ms. #412 studies her face intently in her hand mirror, holding her powder puff at the ready in her right hand. Clearly beauty is a serious business for this bisque belle! From the German firm of Hertwig and Company and made out of fine precolored bisque, she is 3.5 inches long and high. The realistic modeling is excellent and demostrates the high caliber of artists retained by this company. Like many Hertwig products, some of the features are cold painted; you can see slight wear to her hair color and her lips probably once were painted. I think Hertwig's fine bisque nudes are often undervalued by collectors. There are no marks.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 41

2011-10-23T21:14:00.000-05:00

Ms. #410 is a nubile nymph from my favorite manufacturer, the German firm of A. W. Fr. Kister. Kister's lovely ladies are often mistaken for those made by competitor Galluba and Hofmann, but Kister's lissome lasses are more realistically proportioned than the stylized Gallubas and typically have molded and blushed nipples, an anatomical detail missing on most bathing belles. They also generally wear molded bathing slippers with low heels. Like most of her Kister sisters, this bisque beauty is unmarked. Of the finest bisque and workmanship, she is 5 inches long and 3.5 inches high. She retains her pale blonde mohair wig with the remains of taupe net bathing cap.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 40

2011-10-21T20:21:00.000-05:00

The 5.25 inch long bisque bathing beauty is incised underneath with mark of Schafer and Vater and number that appears to be "7923." Although she is an authentic antique, this lovely lass is currently being reproduced by Mundial Company of Belgium (click on "baigneuses" on the index to the left). The antique original has excellent sharp bisque and modeling, while the bisque of the knock-off lacks the clean, sharp quality of the original. In the original, the swimsuit (here bright orange, but it also came in blue) is cold painted, has a matte finish, and often shows some wear. In the reproduction, the color is fired in, and is a dirty, slightly shiny orange with greenish shading or a dingy blue). The crisply molded details of the original, such as her combmaked curls, and the flowing folds in her towel, are lost in the reproduction. Mundial does not mark its products, which are often artificially aged to look worn and dirty (and also to disguise their often poor quality). The repros are showing up in antiques and flea markets, as well as on-line auctions, where they are sometimes sold as antiques. Although their quality falls well below that of the antique original, they can fool innocent collectors and honest dealers who have not had a chance to handle the genuine item.

I will not be posting tomorrow, so please check back on Sunday!

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 39

2011-10-20T21:01:00.000-05:00

Ms. #405 is the sister to Ms. #404. Incised on the back of her base with the Gebruder Heubach sunburst mark and "3736," this bisque belle is 5.75 inches tall.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 38

2011-10-19T20:50:00.000-05:00

Ms. #404 looks like she stepped out of a sea-side sketch by Charles Dana Gibson, but in fact she was created by Gebruder Heubach. This 6.75 inch tall bisque figurine is incised on the back of the base with the Heubach sunburst mark and "3753."

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 37

2011-10-18T20:10:00.000-05:00

Ms. #403 must have been at one heck of a party. How else to explain why she is sprawled atop a ponderous porker, dressed only in her undergarments and clutching a bottle of booze? This 4.75 inch long bisque figurine is incised "5246" and is painted with a red freehand "12." There is a series of these underdressed belles literally sitting high on the hog. In Germany, the pig is a sign of good luck and prosperity. A person who is lucky will say "Ich Habe Schwein Gehabt" (I have had pig). It is traditional to give gifts of candy or marzipan pigs known as glücksschweinchen (good luck pigs) at Christmas. So maybe instead of a "good luck pig," this is a "get lucky pig."

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 36

2011-10-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

Magnificent Ms. #402 is a towering 14 inches tall. Of the finest china and workmanship, she is stamped underneath in blue with the crosshatched “S” of A.W. Fr. Kister and is incised “10417.” On the base in bold gilt letters is "SALOME.” Her beautifully detailed costume, what there is of it, is an exact copy of that worn by interpretative dancer Maud Allan when she performed her most famous role in “A Vision of Salome.” Allan, who designed her own costumes and created her own choreography, first debuted as Salome in 1906, but it was in 1908 when she appeared on the London stage that her Salome took the world by storm. Her two-week engagement stretched into 18 months and she became one of the most famous and wealthy female performers of her time. Germany companies such as Kister and Galluba and Hofmann cashed in on Allan's fame by creating Salome figurines copied after a series of postcards Allan posed for.

After her triumph in England, Allan went on to tour Europe and the United States, but already her fame was fading. The fad for interpretative dance was passing and troupes such as the Ballet Russes were combining the freedom of interpretative dance with the discipline of ballet, creating a new, polished, and more challenging form of modern dance. In 1918, Allan returned to England to star in Oscar Wilde's "Salome," and became enmeshed in an unsuccessful libel action that ultimately destroyed her reputation and career (for more information regarding the "Black Book" trial, I recommend Philip Hoare's book, Oscar Wilde's Last Stand).

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 35

2011-10-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

Ms. #400 and her sea-going swain clearly only have eyes for each other, and large googly ones at that. This 4 inch tall bisque figurine of a plus-size sailor and his hefty honey is by the German firm of Schafer and Vater, and is incised on bottom with a faint Schafer sunburst mark and what appears to be “126.” Behind them is a small container for matches and toothpicks. Black ladies by Schafer are scarce to begin with, and this inter-racial pairing is indeed a rarity.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 34

2011-10-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

Ms. #399 is a good-time gal from the German firm of Schafer and Vater, known for its portrayals of boisterous belles in black stockings. The 5.5 inch tall bisque vase (there is an opening behind the champagne glass) carries a faint imprint of Schafer's crowned sunburst on the bottom. "Champange Girl" was one of the nicknames given to the very voluptuous stage star and comic actress Trixie Friganza. Trixie began her stage career in musical comedies in 1889, but soon transferred her ample talents and figure to vaudeville. She also had a brief career in early film, until health concerns forced her to retire. Whether this vase was a tribute to Trixie or just any party girl is something known only to the long-departed designers of Schafer.

I will not be posting this Friday or Saturday, so please check back on Sunday!

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 33

2011-10-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

Ms. #398 demonstrates that good things come ON small packages. By the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann, this prize package features a totally original 7.5 inch tall bisque fashion lady on her 1.5 inch tall silk-covered oval box. The bottom of the box is stamped “Germany” and the lovely lady is incised “404” on the lower back edge of her supporting pedestal

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 32

2011-10-11T20:07:00.000-05:00

Ms. #397 is another scarce standing bathing beauty from Galluba and Hofmann. Of beautiful bisque and decoration, this lovely lass certainly deserves to be on a pedestal. Still wearing her original mohair wig, bathing suit, and matching cap, this 7 inch tall treasure is incised "405 N. N." on the bottom of the base.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 31

2011-10-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

Ms. #396 shows how an original assembly can take a common ordinary pose and make it something scarce and extraordinary. The 4 inch long reclining bisque bathing beauty is a pretty, but rather prosaic, piece from Galluba and Hoffman. What makes her special is her original 4.5 inch long bisque pin dish base. She is fastened by wooden peg that fits into her lower back to the oval dish, which is molded and decorated to resemble gentle blue waves by a stretch of sandy beach. The little bathing belle retains her original dark brown mohair wig, but has been redressed in a black net bathing suit and head scarf. She is incised “407,” followed by a cursive “g” on her upper back and the bottom of the dish is incised “9589” and stamped in maroon with Galluba and Hofmann shield mark.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 30

2011-10-09T18:32:00.000-05:00

This most regal lady is a 12 inch tall fashion figurine from Galluba and Hofmann. She has a bisque shoulderhead and limbs on a cloth body and stands on her original bisque base. Elaborately dressed in antique materials as Medieval nobility, under the base is written in faint purple ink "Allies Bazaar 1917.” Some talented seamstress near the end of WWI took a German-made fashion doll and lavishly redressed her as an ancient queen to raise money for the Allied cause. This elegant and exquisite lady is incised on the back of her shoulders “5842 Germany.”

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 29

2011-10-06T20:11:00.000-05:00

Ms. #390 is a charming mermaid posing with a pink conch shell. She has a split tail, with blue-scaled legs and fin feet. Of fine bisque and nicely decorated, she is 3.5 inches long and 2 inches high. This lovely lorelei is incised “Germany” under her left calf and with part of a number “20” on her left buttock.

I will not be posing on October 7th or 8th, so please check back this coming Sunday!

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 28

2011-10-05T18:55:00.000-05:00

Ms. #389 seeks to demonstrate that she has brains as well as beauty, although her rather revealing outfit does not exactly shout, "Love me for my mind!" This 5 inch tall bisque figurine once must have had a green jasperware container of some sort attached to the right side, but now there are only two bits of green bisque remaining. Of sharp bisque, with excellent modeling and decoration, this studious siren is incised “5513’ between the back legs of her chair.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 27

2011-10-04T19:25:00.000-05:00

Ms. #388 is a working girl, as her lithe nude body is actually a perfume bottle. Of good china, and nicely decorated, she is 6 inches tall. The urn balanced on her slender shoulder has molded threading for crown top, now missing. The piece is incised underneath “4392 Germany’’ and sis tamped with blurred red mark.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 26

2011-10-03T21:24:00.000-05:00

Ms. #387 poses prettily on her original padded powder or candy box, covered in lush gold and black brocade. She has a long auburn mohair wig and wears a black and gold brocade skirt with gold lace trim, probably the remains of a harem costume. Her painted pink slippers have molded, but undecorated, ballet ties. Of good bisque and modeling, she is 4.5 inches long and 3.5 inches high bisque nude.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 25

2011-10-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

Ms. #386 is stamped in blue underneath with “Germany” and the A.W. Fr. Kister crosshatched “S” and is incised under her left calf “11.” This 4 inch tall voluptuous beauty is molded in excellent creamy bisque with a faint golden-brown wash in the details of her hair and face, giving her the appearance of a marble or ivory staute. As is typical of Kister, her finely sculpted body is realistically proportioned and she has molded nipples.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 24

2011-10-01T17:42:00.000-05:00

Ms. #385 is a 5 inch long china nude nymph who dwells in a luster sea shell. Two air holes in the top of the shell would release air from the figurine, allowing it to be anchored on an aquarium bottom. The piece is incised underneath “24384” and “Germany” in very tiny letters.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 23

2011-09-30T19:58:00.000-05:00

Ms. #383, admiring herself in her mirror, is a nubile nude by William Goebel. Of fine bisque, she is 4.25 inches long and 3.25 inches high l bisque bathing beauty. Her brown mohair wig is a replacement. She is incised on her pate “739” over “C.”

Goebel often "tweaked" a model to create a new version. Here is the same pose with the scarce and highly desirable molded half mask, tinted stockings, and molded heels. She has the remains of her original floss wig and is 4.5 inches long and 3.75 inches high. There is a freehand black "E" painted underneath.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 22

2011-09-27T18:33:00.000-05:00

Ms. #382 is another luscious lass from the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann. As large as she is lovely, this bisque belle is 5 inches long and 3.25 inches high. She is dressed in her original, but fragile, costume, and there are no visible marks. Her mohair wig is a replacement. As is typical of Galluba, she displays the finest bisque, modeling, and decoration.

I will not be posting on Wednesday or Thursday, so please check back on Friday!

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 21

2011-09-26T21:57:00.000-05:00

Ms. #381 is by the German firm of Ernst Bohne Söhne, and she carries the company's incised mark of an anchor intersecting a “B.” Of excellent bisque and decoration, she is 3.5 inches high. The treatment of her hair is interesting, as she has applied bisque curls in the front and molded combmarked tresses in the back.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 20

2011-09-25T18:19:00.000-05:00

Ms. #380 is a diminutive demure damsel from the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann. Just 3.5 inches high, this standing lass is beautifully modeled from her delicate hands to her dainty feet in light blue pumps. In addition to her garments (she probably was once adorned in Edwardian elegance), she has lost her original base, and someone made a new one for her. Her mohair wig is a replacement. Of excellent bisque, she is incised with what appears to be “420” on the back of her right thigh.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 19

2011-09-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

Ms. #379 is a pretty mermaid with flowing tresses. Mermaids might be called the original bathing beauties. Of good china with nice decoration, this piece is 4 inches tall and 4.5 inches long. Her finny friend is finished with a pearl-like luster. This mermaid has a split tail, with legs extending to her knees and finned feet, an early traditional way of portraying these sea sirens. This piece is incised “5324 Germany” on the back right side of the fish.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 18

2011-09-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

Ms. #378 is a 2.75 inch tall bisque bathing beauty riding a 6.5 inch long china lobster. Although she has lost her bathing suit, she retains her original light brown mohair wig. From the German company of Galluba and Hofmann, the now-bare belle is incised on her back “407 C.e.” Her shellfish steed is stamped underneath with a faded shield mark of Galluba and Hofmann and is incised under the tail “9937.”

This lovey lady and her lobster are pictured on this catalogue page from Galluba, on the second row from the bottom, second piece from the left.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 17

2011-09-22T18:11:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the title should be "Bathing Beauties of the Day!" These two voluptuous belles engaging in a little seaside horseplay are a scarce double by the German company of Galluba and Hofmann. Of superb bisque and modeling, this toothsome twosome is 5 inches tall and long. They have long lost their original silk net bathing suits and caps to time, and their original mohair wigs were so disheveled, I made them little hairnets of antique lace. The pair is incised "356" under the buttocks of the reclining woman.

A Bevy of Brazilian Bathing Beauties

2011-09-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

Today I am taking a break from sharing ladies from my collection to introduce you to the extraordinary collection of Carlos Eduardo Martin of São Paulo. A friend (thanks, Nannette!) found this 2010 article (originally written in Portuguese, but, through the magic of Babel Fish, the link is to an English translation) on the blog da Retro (which Babel Fish translates to the "Blog of Backward"). Mr. Martin has been collecting for 24 years and the article pictures a selection of his most luscious ladies. Be sure to check out the gallery of photographs at the article's end. Most notable of Mr. Martin's many marvelous nymphs are the Hertwig and Company tennis player in the back center of the first picture and the all original Galluba and Hofmann fashion lady in the second picture. Yours truly gets a short mention at the end: "For who if it interested for the subject, the book Naughties, Nudies & Bath Beauties, of Sharon Holpe Weintraub, is a good literary tip."

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 16

2011-09-20T19:02:00.000-05:00

Ms. #376 is from my favorite German manufacturer, A.W. Fr. Kister. Although Kister's products have the same excellent bisque and workmanship as the ladies from Galluba and Hofmann, the sculpting of Kister's lovely lasses is more anatomically proportioned and realistic. Their ladies have striking faces, with sultry "bedroom" eyes, high cheekbones, and strong jaw and chin. She also displays a characteristic generally lacking on bathing belles from other companies, but is typical of Kister, molded and tinted nipples. Her blue bathing shoes with the odd low heels are also a Kister characteristic. Incised "3" under her hips, she is 5.5 inches long and 4 inches high. She wears an old pale blonde mohair wig.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 15

2011-09-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

#375 actually has two misses, each admiring, according to the caption, "A Very Fine View." The wind whipping up the ladies' short skirts gives a fine view of a different sort. Of excellent sharp bisque, this 3.75 inch tall comic bisque pin dish is by the German firm of Schafer and Vater, which often employed this sort of naughty wordplay. The back is incised “3745.”

And here is the same figurine pictured in a Schafer and Vater catalogue page from 1920. Note the model number is "3745."

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 14

2011-09-18T15:59:00.000-05:00

Ms. #374 is a curvacous cutie in coral. Of fine bisque and modeling, she is 5 inches tall. Although unmarked, she is of Germany quality and was marketed as an aquarium ornament.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 13

2011-09-17T17:31:00.000-05:00

Ms. 373 is a rather demure damsel. This 2.75 inch tall bisque nude wears her dark blonde hair in an unusual style, parted in center and coiled over each ear. From an unknown maker, she is beautifully and realistically modeled, with her arms and legs free from her body, delicate hands with free thumbs, and well-detailed bare feet. There are no marks.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 12

2011-09-16T18:50:00.000-05:00

Ms. #372 is a china powder box adorned with a bisque bathing beauty by Galluba and Hofmann. The 4 inch tall seated bather beauty wears her original dark blonde mohair wig and yellow net suit with pale yellow ribbon trim. She has no visible marks, but her sea shell seat is incised “9641" on the bottom. The lissome lass is attached to the top of the box with a wooden peg. I dislike the term "rare," which is overused and abused in the world of antiques, but in all my years of collecting, I have come across only one other shell box and belle by Galluba. In that example, the shell was larger and the reclining bather was pegged to the shell's lower edge.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 11

2011-09-15T19:50:00.000-05:00

Ms. #369 is a power box by William Goebel. Her severe flapper hair, elongated eyes, arched brows, white complexion, and beestung red lips recall silent movie star Louise Brooks. Of ceramic, the box is 4 inches long. The box is incised and stamped underneath with the William Goebel crown mark and incised “Dep,” “T 579," and "3/0;" it is also faintly stamped “Germany.” A ceramic cigarette protrudes from the opening between her scarlet lips.

The top of the box lifts off and the cigarette serves as the handle for small pale pink swansdown puff.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 10

2011-09-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

Ms. #368 is from the German company of William Goebel. She is 4.5 inches tall and is of excellent bisque and decoration. She retains her original mohair wig, which, as is typical for Goebel, is a hank of mohair wrapped around her head and held in place at the sides with pearl-headed pins. These wigs are quite fragile and tend to unravel over time. She has desirable tinted gray stockings and molded dark gray pumps with black trim. Underneath, she is stamped in black "Germany" and painted with a freehand “k” under her left thigh.

Goebel made a number of variations of this mold, including a barefoot nude with molded hair or a wig, a bathing belle in a molded tank suit, and the scarcest of all, this masked lady of mystery. Also 4.5 inches tall, Ms. #394 wears a molded black half-mask, and a black beauty spot adorns her right cheek.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 9

2011-09-13T18:34:00.000-05:00

Ms. #367, from the German firm of Hertwig and Company, still wears her original mesh and ribbon outfit. Of excellent bisque and modeling, this 6 inch tall delicate dancer is supported by a small vase behind her. Both her arms and right leg are free from her body and her graceful hands have free thumbs. The piece is incised on back of base “1764.”

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 8

2011-09-12T18:22:00.000-05:00

Ms. 366 is a slender sylph by the German company of Galluba and Hofmann. Standing a statuesque 7.5 inches tall, she poses coyly on her pedestal, clad only in her black stockings and heeled pumps. She is incised "405 M. m." on the bottom of the base and is stamped in red “Made in Germany.” Her mohair wig is a replacement. She is of the finest bisque and decoration as is typical of Galluba. These standing ladies are far scarcer than their reclining or seated sisters. Not only did they require more skill to assemble and fire at the factory, their dainty feet and delicate ankles are weak points and over the years many must have been broken.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 6, Redux

2011-09-11T11:17:00.000-05:00

On Day 6, I introduced Ms. #364, and attributed her and her sisters, Ms. #363 and Ms. #365 (Days 5 and 7, respectively) to the German firm of Schafer and Vater. Last night, I remembered that a generous collector from Germany had once sent me a copy of a page from a 1920 Schafer catalogue. I pulled out the page, and there was Ms. #364, affirming that Schafer was indeed her creator.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 7

2011-09-10T09:37:00.000-05:00

Lucky seven is Ms. #365, joining Ms. #363 and Ms. #364 to form the last of this tantalizing trio by Schafer and Vater. Unmarked, and of excellent bisque and modeling, this flirtatious flapper is 4.5 inch long.

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 6

2011-09-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

Ms. #364, a most limber lass, is undoubtedly a sister to Ms. #363. Unmarked, but most certainly from the German firm of Schafer and Vater, she is 3.5 inches tall. She displays the same excellent sharp bisque and modeling as her previous sister.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 5

2011-09-08T20:53:00.000-05:00

Ms. #363 is unmarked, but is certainly from the German firm of Schafer and Vater, which produced several series of boisterous blondes clad only in short white chemises, black stockings, and heels. In addition to her scandalous state of undress, this widely-smiling flapper flaunts a cigarette! Of excellent sharp bisque, she is 3.5 inches tall.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 4

2011-09-07T17:59:00.000-05:00

In May, I blogged about the the Five Barrison Sisters, a vaudeville act from the 1890s that specialized in naughty antics and double entendres. Their most famous act consisted of the sisters, clad in childish frilly dresses, singing about "Mein Klein Katz" (My Little Cat), and ending the song by flipping up their skirts and exposing their "pussies," a kitten strategically tucked into the crotch of each of their ruffled knickers. Ms. 362 was undoubtedly inspired by the Barrison's act, even though her kitten is tucked into her bosom and not her bloomers. This 8 inch tall bisque figurine is dressed in a unique outfit identical to one worn by the sisters on stage, even down to the odd floral-adorned hat. There are no marks. Although the Barrisons were international stars in their short heyday, they are little known now, and one wonders how many Barrison-inspired figurines sit unidentified on antique store shelves and in collectors' curio cabinets.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 3

2011-09-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

Ms. #361 is one of the scarcer, and probably one of the most most suggestive, poses by the the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann. She has her original mohair wig and is 4.5 inches long. Of excellent bisque and modeling, she is incised "406" followed by a cursive “H” on inside of her left thigh. There is a spot of slag on her right hip and another on her side. Such minor factory flaws would have been hidden by her silk net and ribbon bathing suit, now long lost to the years, and attest to her age and authenticity.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 2

2011-09-05T23:14:00.000-05:00

Ms. #350 is a 5 inch tall china woman on chamberpot. Her dark blonde hair peeks out under a flowing light blue scarf and there is an opening on top of her head. Other than the scarf, she is dressed in a pale blue corset, white ruffled knee-length bloomers, black stockings and low-heeled slippers. Delicately painted and well modeled, she is of fine German quality, but there are no marks.

She has a salacious secret, because the bottom of her chamber pot is open, revealing her bare buttocks.

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 1

2011-09-04T19:41:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted anything lately, in part because I have just not been able to come up with any particularly edifying and novel theme. But then, since when has that ever stopped a blogger? So just to keep my finger in the blog pie until inspiration finally strikes, I am going to try to post a bathing beauty a day (more or less).

I catalogue all my ladies with a number. Here is Ms. #306. Although unmarked, I attribute her to the German firm of Hertwig and Company, who produced a series of nubile nudes posed on this same white bisque base. Of fine pale precolored bisque, she displays the extraordinary modeling found in so many of Hertwig's finer nudes. The slim hands have free and her beautifully sculpted athletic adolescent body has subtle blushing on the breasts, belly, and knees. She is now clad only in painted ballet slippers, but in the Hertwig catalogues, her sisters wore swimsuits of net and ribbon. She is fastened to the base wth a tiny screw through the sole of her right foot. Like many Hertwig products, the decoration is cold painted and subject to wear. This slender sylph is 6 inches tall.

Collect Them All!: Sitzendorf Sea Siren Series

2011-07-20T19:22:00.000-05:00

German manufacturers often produced a series of similar or related figurines. The challenge for the collector, of course, is to collect them all! This is a page from a 1929 catalogue of aquarium supplies from Grassyfork Fisheries, Inc. Entitled "Mermaid Combinations in Colors," the page offers "a new line of mermaid figurines mounted on representations of various forms of aquatic life imported by Grassyfork Fisheries." The figurines are said to be of bisque, "with attractive coloring and a luster finish of great beauty." Since luster is a glaze, the figurines would have to be of china, not bisque, but the catalogue often uses the terms interchangeably. Of the six figurines pictured, five are clearly not mermaids, but nude sea nymphs, their modesty ensured by a strategically placed drapery (or, in the case of the nubile nude on the crab, her own hands).

Here is the lady on the lobster. Of excellent china, and beautifully modeled, the figurine is 4.5 inches long and 3.25 inches high. The lobster has an airhole on his back and on top of the tail, which would release the air from inside the figurine when it was placed in the fish tank, preventing the figurine from floating and allowing the ornament to be anchored on the aquarium floor. Underneath the piece is incised "Ges. Gesch." and with the crowned "S" of the Sitzendorf Porcelain Factory. "Ges. Gesch" is short for "gesetzlich geschutzt," which means that patent rights have been granted and registered for the design.

This modest maiden has a right to be a bit crabby, as the "luster finish of great beauty" was not fired in and would slowly wash away when the piece was submerged in an aquarium. Her shelled steed shows such signs of wear on its shiny shell. Also incised with the Sitzendorf mark and "Ges. Gesch.," the piece is 3.5 inches high. Holes on each side of the crab's shell serve to release inside air.

This sea siren's starfish has lost almost all of its luster finish. There are airholes in the top of the starfish. Also 3.5 inches high, the piece is incised underneath with the Sitzendorf mark and "Ges. Gesch."

This femme's finny friend has retained its luster finish, showing how eye-catching the original coloring could be. There are small airholes in the fish's head and tail. Incised "Ges. Gesch.," the piece is 3.5 inches high and 4.25 inches long.

Toddling along on a turtle, this nude naiad is 4.25 inches long and is incised with the Sitzendorf mark and "Ges. Gesch."

Variations on a Theme by Galluba and Hofmann

2011-07-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

German porcelain manufacturers were always seeking to expand their product lines to outpace their competitors and appeal to as wide a market as possible, but sculpting and molding an entirely new model was expensive and time consuming. Manufacturers cleverly solved this dilemma by modifying existing models to create a new product without the expense of developing a wholly new prototype. Here is a nubile nymph from Galluba and Hofmann who seems to be reaching out for a hug. She is 6 inches long and has retained her original mohair wig. On the inside of her left thigh she is incised "405 1/2," followed by an obscured letter. This is one of the less common poses produced by Galluba.

This pretty lady with her pussycat is the same model by Galluba, albeit in a larger size. Eight inches long, she is incised "424" followed by a lower case cursive "g" under both her left thigh and on the sole of her left foot. She has lost the fragile fingers on her right hand, which is unfortunately a common problem with this pose.

The friendly feline was molded and added during the greenware stage, giving Galluba the flexibility to place a pet on any of its standard bathing belles. Ladies have been found with attached cats, kittens, spaniels, dogs, and even a grinning imp. Any such addition make even the most common Galluba pose highly desirable.

Galluba produced a porcelain line designed to imitate ivory decorated with gold, such as this sultry sultana, barely clad in her costume of molded gold beads and jewels. Even her hair, which is molded in a chignon, and face is decorated in soft warm golden brown tones. Incised "9725" on her left buttock, she is 8 inches long.

Modeled in pure white bisque, this voluptuous beauty appears to be carved in marble. The largest of these ladies, she is 9.5 inches long, and is incised "9527" on the sole of her left foot.

Beautiful Black Bisque Belles by Schafer and Vater

2011-07-03T17:46:00.000-05:00

These Black bisque beauties, clad only in their clinging chemises, are part of a scarce series by Schafer and Vater. The delectable dark-skinned damsels in this series have glowing coffee-colored complexions, ethnic features, and sharp detailed modeling. Both these ladies are unmarked. The buxom belle clutching her bosom is 4 inches high and her wide-eyed companion is 5 inches tall.

Another of the series, this coy cutie is 5 inches long and marked only with a freehand “43.”

This 5.5 inch long lass strikes a more bawdy pose as she gestures to her ample and shapely bottom. There are no marks.

Posing with a pink piglet, this Black beauty is incised underneath with Schafer and Vater crown mark and “3530.” She is 5.5 inches long and 4.5 inches high .

Although this cutie has coffee-colored skin and black tresses, she is not part of the previous series. The mold is from another series by Schafer of blonde chemise-clad ladies in black stockings. She lacks the ethnic modeling of the previous ladies and it appears that the decorator just simply gave the standard white model darker skin and black hair. In fact, she even has blue eyes! Next to her is the more typical belle in this black-stocking series.

Heubach Bathing Belle & Skinnydipping Sister

2011-06-19T15:18:00.000-05:00

This art deco nude appears in my second book, where I attribute her to the German firm of Gebruder Heubach. She is 4.5 inches tall.

My attribution turns out to have been correct, as here is the same fabulous flapper, except with raven hair and a painted, but not molded, red bathing suit. Of the same excellent china as her nude sister, she is slightly larger, at 5 inches tall.

Underneath she is stamped with the Heubach square mark. There is an obscured number, but it appears to end with "99/3."

The slender nude is marked with "Made in Germany" in a circle, which is sometimes found on Heubach pieces, and she is incised with what appears to be "11396/3."

Sitting on Pins and Needles

2011-05-30T11:07:00.000-05:00

Although “naddelkissen” sounds like a Germanic term of endearment, it refers to the utilitarian pincushion. But, thanks to creative German manufacturers, utilitarian did not necessarily mean ordinary, and decorative pincushions, draped with delicate laces and dainty ribbons, were often topped with a delectable damsel of china or bisque, including beautiful bathing belles.

This extraordinary creation of felt, fringe and ribbon looks as bright as the day it left the factory. The crowning touch is the lovely lady by Galluba and Hofmann luxuriously lounging on its top. She has her original light brown mohair wig and is clad in a top of pale yellow ribbon and a short skirt of pink fringe, which matches her molded pink ballet-style bathing slippers. Protecting the modesty of her bosom is an elaborate garland of gold cord and blue silk ribbon. The four-inch long lass lies within a frame of gold braid and blue fringe, held in place by pins with colorful glass bead heads. The rest of the pincushion is almost as extravagant, with another circle of glass-headed pins, a band of brilliant red and blue ribbon, and a scalloped edge trimmed with a battalion of brass safety pins. The underside of blue felt is edged with a band of dark blue and bright red ribbon and the yellow ribbon forming the bell's bodice is tied underneath in a big bow. This is one knockout naddelkissen!

This china nude nymph perched on her original pincushion is by Gebruder Heubach and is pictured on a promotional postcard by the company, where she is called "Beim Aufsstehen" (when awakening). The nubile nude is 3 inches high and her art deco patterned pincushion pillow is 6.5 inches wide.

The prolific Hertwig and Company not only produced platoons of pincushion dolls, but also offered complete assemblies. This little raven-haired flapper in her scarlet swimming suit is attributed to Hertwig, and the company's catalogues show similar pincushions decorated with the same sort of thin striped ribbon. This diminutive damsel is 1.75 inches tall and is of good precolored china, and her petite pincushion adds another inch. The pincushion is stamped underneath in purple “Made in Germany.”

This bare bisque beauty is a known model by Hertwig. Only 2 inches long, this little lady is nearly dwarfed by her 6 inch long original oval pincushion, trimmed with fine lace and silk ribbon around edge. Made of sharp precolored bisque, this bare bather is incised "Germany" on edge of her right thigh.

The Five Barrisons in Bisque

2011-05-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

Blonde, buxom, and bawdy, the Five Barrison Sisters once billed themselves as the "wickedest girls in the world." Granted they were performing in the 1890s, when the bar for wickedness was pretty low, but the five sisters (and they were indeed siblings) tantalized and titillated music hall audiences in Europe and the United States with their on-stage naughtiness. Often dressed in girlish costumes, the sisters would warble songs full of double-entendres and sexual suggestiveness. In their most famous act, first performed at the Wintergarten in Berlin in 1896, the sisters, clad in long frilly dresses and babyish bonnets, sang about "Mein Klein Katz" (My Little Cat) as they slowly and slyly lifted up their skirts, exposing ten black stocking-clad legs. At the end of the song, the sisters flipped up their skirts, exposing their "pussies, " as strategically tucked into the crotch of each of their bloomers was a rather bewildered-looking live kitten. This is an early publicity picture, taken while they were touring Europe.

This theater card was obviously influenced by the photograph. Not only did the artist exercise a bit of license in applying the brilliant colors to the sister's skirts, he crowned the last sister in line with raven tresses, even though all five were blonde. On the back of the card is printed "Volks-Theater Nur Noch Bis 30. Juni.

Another copy of the photograph, this time in bisque. German porcelain companies were quick to cash in on any fad, as this piece from H. Hutschenreuther Porzellanfabrik demonstrates, German companies often copied popular prints, photographs, and postcards of the day, and it is doubtful the the sisters earned any royalties from Hutschenreuther's charming creation. This figurine of the five is 6 inches high. It is incised "3064" and is faintly stamped with the company's mark underneath.

This is a picture of the mark stamped underneath.

Is This Mr. Tuffolino?

2011-04-28T20:20:00.000-05:00

In 1879, Italian artist Odoardo Tabbachi created "La Tuffolina" (the diver). According to a June 21, 1879, supplement to Scientific American, the pictured sculpture was "immediately purchased by the King of Italy." The article continues: "The figure could hardly be rendered more beautiful, elegant, or sympathetic, nor more graceful in attitude, representing as it does the bather in the act of diving into the water as if she was an expert swimmer." The artilce reports that the lovely Tuffolina had so many admirers, "the fortunate sculptor will have difficulty to fill all the orders he has received for copies."

Tabacchi's delectable diver continued to attract admirers for decades, and many German firms, such as Dressel, Kister, and Company, produced their own adaptations of Ms. Tuffolina, in both bisque and china and in a wide variety of sizes, from diminuative damsels to super-sized sirens.

However, there is a very scarce male version (would he be El Tuffolino?). In all my years of collecting, I have only come across him twice before. This is one big boy, at 22 inches tall. For some reason, the other two Tuffolinos were also gigantic (at least in the world of bathing beauty figurines), and each was accompanied by an equally large lady counterpart.

He is of excellent sharp bisque and is extremely well sculpted, from the waves in his hair to the waves at his bare feet.

The painting is as well done and detailed as the modeling. Under his base, he is incised "No. 302" and "3."

Roman Psyche Reborn as a French Bathing Beauty

2011-04-24T19:04:00.000-05:00

This bathing beauty is actually the top of a very big powder box. Standing 10 inches tall, she is made of ceramic and decorated in a bold art deco style.

If the pose appears familiar, the belle on the box is borrowed from the Bath of Psyche by Lord Frederic Leighton (1830-1896). Leighton did a bit of borrowing himself, as the pose of Psyche is based on an ancient statue of Venus he had seen in Naples. The Roman poet Lucius Apuleius sets out the legend of Psyche in his work The Golden Ass or Metamorphosis. Psyche was a beautiful mortal woman who became the paramour of Cupid.

A round paper label on the bottom of the box announces that it was made in France. Both the bottom of the box and the lid are incised "14029 R."

Hertwig's Negligé-Damen

2011-03-16T21:02:00.000-05:00

This page from an old Hertwig and Company catalogue displays two delectable damsels clad only in teddies of sheer lace, trimmed with fine ribbon. Hertwig advertised these long-legged lovelies as Negligé-Damen gekleidet (women dressed in negligees).

And here are the two Negligé-Damen pictured in the catalogue, still clad in their lace chemises. Of excellent precolored bisque, they are beautifully sculpted, with expressive faces, delicate gesturing hands, slim realistically modeled bodies, and lithe shapely legs. In addition to their lace and ribbon outfits, they have sheer tinted lavender stockings and molded heeled pumps.

The ribbon straps over her slender shoulders have started to shred, but her lace negligee is still intact. The facial features, such as her parted lips, were cold painted and are subject to wear and fading over the years. She is 5 inches long and 3 inches high and any marks are hidden by her original outfit.

This flirtatious flapper retains both her original outfit and vivid coloring. She is 6 inches long and 2.5 inches high.

A German Translation of French Femme-Poupees

2011-02-16T21:01:00.000-06:00

Looking both defiant and delectable in her roguishly open short robe, this gorgeous gamine is of excellent bisque. She is 5.5 inches tall and incised "Germany" across the back of her robe and "Sp 594" on her round base.

She clearly was inspired by this print by Maurice Milliere, a popular French illustrator of the 1920s and 30s, who gained fame for his "femme-poupees (doll women)," laughing young ladies with lithe limber bodies, smoky eyes, and fluffy curly hair. The print is in fact entitled La Poupee de Milliere, and Milliere did indeed market little poupees of his femme-poupees, chalkware cuties copied from his prints, with a facsimile of his signature on the base.

However, this bisque beauty does not bear Milliere's signature, and, one assumes, his approval. Here she appears in a German catalogue that originally had been attributed to Hertwig and Company. In 2000, the doll auction company Theriault's sold dolls, figurines, and half-dolls from the archives of Hertwig and Company. These included figurines with the "Sp" mark. Later, in The Ladies of Hertwig, Theriault's published reprints of pages said to be from original Hertwig factory catalogues, including this page. Based on this information, I attributed several figurines in my book to Hertwig. However, Marc and Shona Lorrin, in their book, The Half-Doll, Volume 5, reproduced a page from an old catalogue from Limbach Porzellanfabrik showing that the company used model numbers preceded by "Sp" on its figurines. But why did Hertwig have Limbach catalogues and products in its archives? According to the Lorrins, in 1922, Hertwig took a controlling interest in Limbach, which was suffering from financial difficulties.

Standing next to her on the catalogue page is her nude sister. Here is her long lost sibling, although missing her original bisque base. This little nubile nude is unmarked.

Ladies of Mystery

2011-01-29T20:05:00.000-06:00

Actually there is no mystery who made this masked mademoiselle, because on the back of her base is the crowned intertwined "G" and "W" of William Goebel. Five inches tall and of excellent bisque, this exquisite half doll is part of a scarce and highly sought after series of delicious damsels in black domino masks. The mask is actually molded, not merely painted on, and her blue eyes have black pupils with white highlights. A beauty patch on her cheek calls attention to her full coral lips.

This is a close up of the Goebel mark, which came into use around 1900.

Here is the same masked marvel in full figure. Unmarked, she is 5.5 inches long. Her gray pumps with the darker trim are typical of Goebel, and her legs are tinted gray to represent sheer silk stockings. The wig is a replacement.

Strumming her mandolin, this masked miss is one of the most sought after Goebel ladies. She even has her original wig of white floss. Frankly, wigs were Goebel's weak point. Often, as in this beautiful belle, they were little more than a hank of mohair or floss wrapped around the figure's bald pate and held in place with tiny pins. Because they were not sewn to a supporting wig cap, the fragile wigs tend to unravel and fall apart. As large as she is lovely, she is 5 inches long and 4 inches high. Underneath she is incised "3739" and "B," and is also stamped "Germany" in black.

Another desirable damsel, admiring herself in her mirror. She has the remains of her original floss wig and is 4.5 inches long and 3.75 inches high. Except for a freehand black "E" painted underneath, she is unmarked.

This poor little lady suffered a fall sometime in the past, but she is still lovely and her scarcity makes her well worth some restoration. Despite her tumble, she has retained the remains of her original floss wig. Stamped "Germany" underneath in black, she is 5.5 inches long.

It Takes Two to Tango

2011-01-06T17:19:00.000-06:00

A fellow collector alerted me to this image, appearing on the youtube video, Masculine Women, Feminine Men (it appears at 1.27). The reason? This toothsome twosome by Galluba and Hofmann. . .

This china figurine of two delectable dancers is 8 inches tall and incised "9039" underneath. There is no doubt it was inspired by the image.

But where did the image come from? Although signed, the image from the video was too blurred to make out the signature. Doing a little research on the Internet, I came across this postcard picturing another prancing pair. The style of the painting seemed similar to that of the first image, and the signature appeared to be the same in style and shape. But really first caught my eye, was that this second image also inspired a figurine in my collection. . . .

Clad in gowns covered in glitter, described in German catalogues as flittergold, these bisque tangoing ladies outfitted in Edwardian elegance are 5.25 inches tall and incised “Germany 8918.”

The signature on the postcard is "Usabal." A little research on vintage postcard websites found Usabal was a prolific painter of seductive Edwardian beauties, and had produced a series of couples, male and female or women, entwined in the tango, including both of these images. However, the artist was variously referred to as Louis Usabal, Luis Usabal, Lotte Usabal, or Lottie Usabal, and was identified as Italian, German, or Spanish. After little more research, I came across footage of Spanish artist Luiz Usabal Y Hernandez (1876-1937) painting portraits of silent screen sirens (in the film, he is referred to as "Louis Usabal, famous artist from old Valencia in Spain"). Pulling up examples of Luiz/Louis Usabal's art, including his movie star porfolio, it was clear to me he is the artist of these two images. His style is the same, the signatures are identical, and the time period is right.

All in a Bustle

2010-12-29T20:12:00.000-06:00

This beautiful belle hides a secret under her hinged bustle. . .

which, when lifted, reveals a brown beetle crawling up her bare bottom. The beetle is actually molded, not merely painted on. The painting on this high-quality porcelain piece is of the finest, with delicately hand painted floral designs alternating with decorative designs and gilt touches. Not visible in the picture is the dangling garter ribbon at her raised left knee. The quality of the decoration is evident in her hair, with its elaborate tiers of curls striated with individually painted gray lines, and her finely painted aristocratic features. This china lady is 7.25 inches tall. She is an uncommon and hard to find figurine. However, she is also being reproduced. The new piece has lost the many fine painted details of the old, especially the hair, which lacks the delicate striations, and the facial features, which are very simply and blandly painted. The elaborate handpainted designs on the dress are reduced to alternating stripes in the new version, which carries a mark with cyrillic (Russian) lettering. The repro also does not have the garter ribbon. But perhaps the most important detail missing from the reproduction is the bug on her buttocks!

A previous owner helpfully looked up her mark. Carl Thieme did establish a porcelain factory in Saxony in Germany in 1872, and used this mark, along with several others. Thieme died in 1888, ans in 1901 the factory began using an "SP Dresden" mark for the Saxonian Porcelain Factory. The factory is still in existence and their current figurines certainly resemble this elegantly erotic lady. I have also seen this figurine with a beehive mark that was also sometimes used by Thieme.

Another lovely lady whose hinged bustle lifts up to expose a rather voluptuous pair of buttocks. I have never seen this particular bustle belle before. She is superbly modeled, from the ruffles in her cap to her gracefully gesturing hands. There is an applied rose, carefully built up of tiny porcelain petals, tucked into her bosom and at her feet are a variety of bright applied flowers. Her light brown hair has darker fine striations, giving the appearance of individual tresses, and the floral design on her underskirt is all hand painted. Her face is particularly pretty, with finely painted features, including brown eyes and parted lips.

Although this piece is marked with the gold anchor used by Chelsea porcelain factory from 1756 to 1769, this mark was widely copied by porcelain companies throughout Europe. While she is beautifully modeled and decorated, the coloring and style are not that of a 18th century figurine. The main indicator that this piece is NOT Chelsea is that it is not modeled of the soft paste porcelain produced by that factory. China first produced what is called hard paste or true porcelain, a mixture of a white clay called kaolin and feldspar. The resulting slip is plastic and can be modeled or molded into intricate shapes or the thinnest vases and, fired at high temperatures, produces a hard, bright white porcelain with smooth, fine grain. The Chinese guarded the secret of their porcelain, which was highly sought after by Europeans, who referred to it as “white gold.” Europeans tried to discover the formula for porcelain, and in the late 1500s, in Italy, soft paste porcelain was created. Soft paste porcelain does not vitrify like hard paste porcelain and must be fired at lower temperatures. It has a more creamy background and is more porous and appears less glassy than hard paste. Soft paste porcelain is also not as plastic as hard paste porcelain and is more difficult to model. Hard paste porcelain was first produced at Meissen in the early 1700s (for the fascinating story of the discovery of the formula for hard paste porcelain by an imprisoned alchemist, check out the book the The Arcanum by Janet Gleeson). Although most people now use the terms china and porcelain changeably, some collectors argue that porcelain should be applied only to the finest, most translucent, high-fired wares.

If she is not Chelsea, who made her? One possibility is the French company of Samson & Cie. was established by Edmé Samson, also known as Samson the Imitator, which produced high quality copies of early Meissen, Dresden, Chelsea, and other famous porcelains, up to the early 1900s. However, I suspect she is a fine quality piece produced by a German manufacturer, sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s. But, I did not add her to my collection because I thought she was a rare piece of Chelsea, I acquired her because she is NAUGHTY

The is a Japanese copy of the first bustle belle. Although unmarked, the facial painting, the orangish blushing, and the decal flowers and painting all point to a Japanese manufacturer.

Anyone lifting her bustle hoping for a peek at some callipygian charms will be sorely disappointed, because she is hollow!

Fake Galluba and Hofmann Bathing Beauties

2010-12-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

This bisque bathing belle has been appearing for years in antiques markets and online auctions. She is something of a lady of mystery. She is made of tinted bisque and has a uneven, and sometimes shiny, complexion. The bisque is rather rough, so it does not have the appearance of new bisque, and the painting is appropriate for an old piece. She often has a black long wig, but has also been found bald or in various outfits.

She is clearly a copy of this lissome and lovely Galluba and Hofmann lady. This genuine Galluba has the excellent bisque, flawless pale complexion, and exquisite workmanship that are the hallmarks of an authentic Galluba beauty. The modeling on the copy is not as crisp as on the original, which suggests the copy either was made from a worn mold or molded from an existing piece.

The face on the copy is rather well done. . .

but does not match the delicate and detailed features of the true Galluba. The intaglio eyes with deep pupils and white highlights are standard for Galluba. The copy does not have intaglio eyes, giving her a rather flat, vacant look. Whoever is making the copy is clearly using the Galluba face as a template.

Once it is set next to the extraordinary original, it is easy to distinguish the copy.

Mundial Company of Belgium is now producing its own version of this Galluba model. The facial painting and finishing on the Mundial copy of low quality, but could fool honest dealers and collectors who have not had a chance to handle the scarce and exquisite original. Mundial is also producing the figurine with painted stockings and a mask. Mundial has added to its already extensive line of half dolls, bathing beauties, and all bisque dolls, and all collectors and dealers should check out the newest catalogue website. So far, it appears the Mundial still continues to fail to clearly mark its copious copies. However, many of the pieces it produces, because they were made from molds taken from the antique originals, carry old numbers and marks. The peices are also often made look worn and dirty, giving these new items the look of authentic age. These new "old" items are appearing in antiques markets, shops, shows, and online auctions, where they are often offered as antique.

An Italian Half Doll by Richard Ginori?

2010-11-25T16:27:00.000-06:00

In 1997, my parents spent the summer in Florence, Italy, where my father was teaching a summer law course. My mother found this exquisite pincushion doll in a small antique shop near their apartment in Santa Croce Square.

She does not resemble any half dolls by known German or French makers. Her facial painting is very unusual, with a grayish lavender shading around her eyes, as well as shading between her parted lips. The eyes have an upper lid line in black, while the lower is red, and the blue eyes have large black pupils and an iris outlined in a dark color. Her blonde hair has darker brushstrokes, giving the illusion of individual tresses. The fine porcelain has a very smooth creamy color, with darker shading between her breasts and fingers. Although she was awarded a blue ribbon at an annual convention of the United Federation of Doll Clubs, no dealer or collector I have shown her to has been able to identify her maker.

Some time back, at the Pottery and Glass forum on eBay, a fellow eBayer put up a beautiful female porcelain figurine for identification. I immediately saw the striking resemblance between this figurine and my half doll. The figurine was marked "Italy" and with a crowned "G," which was identified as the mark of Richard Ginori. I posted a picture of my half doll, and the other participants affirmed the remarkable resemblance. One of the participants, Walter Del Pellegrino, co-author of the book Italian Pottery Marks from Cantagalli to Fornasetti, stated that in his opinion this half doll has all the characteristics of being manufactured by Ginori. He also said that Ginori has a museum in Florence that includes an archive of factory catalogues and documents.

I then began a search for my own Ginori figurine I could use as a comparison piece for my half doll. I quickly found that the fine quality figurines are not common and they can be quite pricey. Finally, I secured this delicate damsel at a reasonable price because her slender neck has been broken and reglued. She is the same mold and model as the figurine in the eBay discussion, although the painting on my figurine is a bit more elaborate and she carries the crowned "N" mark without the Ginori name, which the company used on its products made in Doccia, Florence, from 1830 to 1890.

She has the same creamy ivory complexion as my half doll, with the darker sharing between the breasts and the fingers. The shaping of the arched eyebrows is identical and both pieces have the same shadowing around the eyes. The unusual painting of the eyes, with the black upper lid, red lower lid, and blue iris outlined in a darker color, is also the same. Both ladies have the same parted smiling lips with shading between. The hair on both figurines is overpainted with darker lines to give the illusion of individual tresses and the facial features, such as the broad foreheads and small pointed chins, also show a family resemblance.

So, is my pretty pincushion doll by Ginori? If she is, it would be a fantastic find for collectors of Italian porcelain and antique dolls, showing that Italy also produced high quality half dolls. I will be contacting the Museo Richard-Ginori della Manifattura di Doccia and asking for their help in my quest. I will update this blog if or when I receive further information.

A Bevy Of Bathing Beauty Bottles

2010-11-20T19:46:00.000-06:00

The German firm of Schafer and Vater produced numerous "nippers," novelty bottles that held a "nip" of alcohol. Many of the bottles had comic themes, but also, perhaps to appeal to the male clientel the bottles were most certainly marketed to, many featured lovely ladies or ribald humor. Some of the most sought after of Schafer's naughty nippers are those featuring bathing beauties.

This blue and white nipper featuring a bathing belle standing on the shell of a large tortoise is a type of jasperware often used by Schafer. Unlike the jasperware produced by Wedgwood, in which the white portion is molded separately and then added to the colored background, Schafer cleverly figured out a way to produce the same effect in a single mold, by careful use of blue and white slip. Often Schafer produced the same bottle in jasperware, colored bisque, and in a brown glaze. This 5.5 inch tall bottle is incised "3872."

Another jasperware bottle, this time featuring a slender siren riding a cooperative sea lion. Incised "3878," this bottle is 5 inches tall.

This curvaceous cutie with a crabby companion is an example of a bottle produced by Schafer in colored bisque, but it can also be found in jasperware or brown glaze. This 4.5 inch tall bottle is incised "3876."

Back to jasperware, with a rather stern looking elephant providing a smiling bathing beauty with a shower. Incised "3877," this bottle is 5 inches tall.

Another shower scene in colored bisque. This bottle is a much larger size, standing 8 inches tall, and is incised "3864." While the lissome lass seems to be enjoying her shower, her little whippet puppy seems less enthusiastic. Perhaps he is afraid of getting his big red ribbon bow wet.

All of these bottles are of excellent bisque and the modeling is very sharp and detailed. Clearly, Schafer used this "3800" series for its bathing belle naughty nippers.