The Rambling Female Sailor

With jacket blue and trousers white

Just like a sailor neat and tight

Sure the sea it was the heart's delight

Of the female rambling sailor.

When in storm upon the raging sea

She was ready at her station

And her mind was as calm as calm could be

She loved her occupation.

                                                                             Rambling Female Sailor, circa 1830s

In the old folk song, a young and pretty maiden decides to dress as a sailor and run off to sea.  Although this bathing beauty wears a swimsuit rather than "jacket blue and trousers white," she certainly appears to be calm and content as she sails her rather undersized schooner over the bounding main.  Of good china, this sea-going siren is actually a trinket or powder box.  Incised above waves on the back “Germany 10782, this belle and her boat are 5.5 inches high and 4 inches tall. 

The Supreme Flash of 1927

This flirtatious flapper certainly has a lot of flash in her form-fitting gold glitter bathing suit.  Of plaster, this golden girl is 16 inches tall.

Her sparkling slippers stand on a base incised "© N.S. Statuary Co." 

This advertisement from the May 28, 1927, edition of "The Billboard," a publication for carnival concessionaires, features the same glittery gal by North Side Statuary Company of Chicago, Illinois.  Entitled "The Supreme Flash of 1927," the ad declares that this "new original copyrighted" bathing beauty doll is "already proven the biggest money-getter this year."  This shimmery sea-side siren is described as "natural flesh tone with highly attractive metallic bathing suit" who looks like she "just stepped out of the surf" and is a "Bathing Beach Banner Money Getter." Sounds like she's a bit of a gold digger! Packed 20 to a barrel, these twinkling tootsies were one dollar each.  

For an inexpensive carnival prize, this bathing belle is surprisingly well sculpted and decorated, with a most appealing presence.  No doubt she tempted quite a number of nickels out of the rubes' pockets in her heyday.