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, September 11, 2011

Bathing Beauty of the Day: Day 6, Redux

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.

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