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, January 9, 2012

A Flurry of Fairies


This pretty pixie is pictured in my second book on page 132.  Her slender body has subtle curves and she is 3.5 inches long.  Of good bisque and delicately decorated, she is unmarked.  There is a small hole between her pastel wings, allowing her to "fly" from a bit of string.


Another shapely sprite, this one molded to kneel on the edge of a shelf.  She is obviously from the same supernatural series, which I attribute to Hertwig and Company.  


This little fairy is marked "Germany" in a circle on her extended foot.  Of the same good bisque and decoration, she is 3.5 inches long.


Also marked "Germany" in a circle, this unfortunate fairy must have fluttered into a spiderweb, because she has lost one of her gossamer wings.  However, these nude nubile nixies are so scarce, even missing a wing she is still collectible.  She is 2 inches high.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)