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.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Bathing Beauty of the Day; Day 62 Redux

 
Someone asked about Ms.  #441's odd pose and what she is supposed to be doing.  Here she is again, this time demonstrating with a sister Galluba that she is positioned to share a whispered confidence ("Don't look now, darling, but I think we forgot to put on our dresses, again.")

Now that I have revitalized this blog, I am going to slow down a bit, and instead of a bathing beauty a day, I will post each Wednesday a bather of the week.  This will be in addition to any other postings I think might be of interest to the collecting community, but rest assured that something will be posted to this blog at least once a week.

Also, as of December 1, 2011, my old website will cease to exist.  I will finish transferring all the remaining information from the website to this blog before then.

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