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.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

New Article

My latest article, "Her Naughty Hula Hips," appears in the March 2017 edition of Antique Doll Collector magazine.  The article is a followup to my December 2016 article in that publication, "A Whistle and a Shimmy; Clockwork Carnival Dolls of the 1920s," which examined at the clockwork dancing dolls created by companies like Zaiden Toy Works for carnival concessionaires.  The new article contracts hula dolls created by Zaiden and Progressive Toy Company.  The title is from the song, "Keep Your Eye on Her Hands" by Tony Todaro and Liko Johnston, which was sung by Jane Russell in the 1956 movie, "The Revolt of Mamie Stover."

Whenever you're watching a hula girl dance 
You gotta be careful, you're tempting romance. 
Don't keep your eyes on her hips 
Her naughty hula hips,
Keep your eyes on the hands.

Remember she's telling a story to you, 
Her opu is swaying, but don't watch the view. 
Don't concentrate on the swing 
It doesn't mean a thing, 
Keep your eyes on the hands. 

And when she goes around the island 
Swinging hips so tantalizing, 
Just keep your eyes where they belong. 
Because the hula has a feeling 
That will send your senses reeling, 
It makes a weak man strong. 

Your eyes are revealing 
I'm fooling no one, 
No use in concealing 
We're having some fun. 

But if you're too young to date 
Or over ninety-eight,
Keep your eyes on the hands. 
They tell the story, 
Just keep your eyes on the hands.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)