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.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Variations on a Theme by Galluba and Hofmann

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.

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