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.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Hertwig's Negligé-Damen

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)