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, March 17, 2016

Getting Wiggy

My last posting featured a trio of pretty petite pincushion dolls by Galluba and Hoffman with unusual molded tresses.  They appear here again, each posing with her wigged counterpart.  Only 1.5 inches tall, this brunette beauty is incised on the back of her base with a four digit number beginning with "96."  She has lower, as well as upper, lid lines, typical of Galluba. 


This miniature maiden has retained her original mohair wig, and she also has lower lid lines.  Again, just 1.5 inches tall, she is incised "9623" on the back of her base.


A tad larger, at 1.75 inches tall, this dark-haired damsel also still wears her original wig.  She carries a blurred incised number that appears to begin with "96."


1 comment:

  1. MaureenMarch 18, 2016 at 8:59 AM

    Nice!! I can't seem to warm to the wigs so haven't bought any. They are starting to interest me.

    ReplyDelete

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