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.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 42

 
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.

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