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 7, 2016

The Lady of the Lamp


This beautiful belle in a bell-shaped skirt is a very unusual lamp by the German company of Galluba and Hofmann. Clearly more she was meant to be more a boudoir light than reading lamp, even though the lovely lady herself holds a book! The lamp is 12 inches tall and of excellent china.

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The dress fits over a round metal ring, making it a real hoop skirt


Although the piece is not marked, the elegant miss balanced above her billowing skirt is identical to a half doll model attributed to Galluba.


And those shapely legs, gracefully standing with one slender foot forward, and ruffled undergarments are familiar to any collector of Galluba's fine fashion ladies.  The unusual tan base is unique to Galluba's gorgeous girls.





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