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.

Friday, June 16, 2017

A Dancing Shape, an Image Gay. . .


She was a phantom of delight 
When first she gleam’d upon my sight; 
A lovely apparition, sent 
To be a moment’s ornament; 
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair; 
Like Twilight’s, too, her dusky hair; 
But all things else about her drawn 
From May-time and the cheerful dawn; 
A dancing shape, an image gay, 
To haunt, to startle, and waylay.

William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
  
Any collector would be haunted, startled, and waylaid by this most beauteous bisque belle.  Although her original form-fitting silk dress covers any marks (while caressing every supple curve of her graceful swaying figure), this  6.75 inch tall lovely lady (not including her wood base) is no doubt by the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann.  She is clearly related to another waltzing woman pictured earlier on this blog, and they are gowned in clinging Edwardian gowns of the same color of silk.  One wonders if she too once had a tuxedoed beau.  There are holes in the soles of her molded white pumps for supporting rods.  The wood base is a replacement and she may have once had a base of bisque or decorated an elaborate candy box or pincushion.


A close up of her exquisite features.  She wears her original mohair wig.




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