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, January 29, 2015

Tripping the Light Fantastic


Com, and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastick toe.

John Milton, L'allegro (1645)

This terrific twosome tripping the two step was made by Hertwig and Company.  Of excellent bisque, these dancing damsels are 5.75 inches and are unmarked. 



Here they appear in the Hertwig catalogue, where they are listed as "Two Step."  Their colorful outfits are covered with flocking, giving the appearance of velvety fabric. Hertwig described this treatment  as "mit irisierendem, seidenartigem, überaus farbenprächtigem" (with very colorful iridescent silk).  Flocking is fragile and wears easily, as can be seen on these girls' gowns.


There seems to have been an Edwardian fascination of figurines of lovely ladies doing the daring dances of the day.  This curvaceous couple has appeared previously on this blog.  Of excellent china, this 8 inch tall figurine is by Galluba and Hofmann and is incised "9039" underneath. 

 

Galluba appears to have been inspired by this postcard by Spanish artist Luiz Usabal Y Hernandez (1876-1937).


These bisque belles have also previously appeared on this blog.  They are clad in gowns covered in glitter, described in German catalogues as "flitter gold."  This figurine is 5.25 inches tall and incised “Germany 8918.”


They were also copied from a Usabal postcard.



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