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.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bathing Beauty of the Week

 

Ms. #455 looks lovely as she luxuriates in her ruffle-edged bathtub.  Her sultry face is beautifully painted and her graceful hands are delicately modeled. 

 

Her bisque bath is actually a box and when the lid is lifted off, underneath is a completely different view of this literal bathing beauty.  This naughty novelty is 4 inches long and 3.5 inches tall  There appears to be "42" incised under the lid by her bare bottom.

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