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.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Heubach Bathing Belle & Skinnydipping Sister


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 "11896/3."


 
















 
 
 
 
 
 











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