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, September 27, 2018

Smokin' Hot, Part II

Previously, this blog featured a lovely Edwardian lady who appeared to be preparing to puff a cigarette, a suggestive and shocking habit for a woman of the 1910s.  This posts features her male companion, a dandy garbed in Edwardian elegance from his top hat to his slender shoes.  He actually has a hole between his lips for a small novelty toy cigarette; I did dare to light it, but was unable to capture any of the resulting small smoke rings with my camera. There is also a hole through his left hand, suggesting that he once may have held a slender walking stick.  Like his female counterpart, this gentlemen is of sharp white bisque and is superbly modeled.  He is 9 inches tall and unmarked.  An identical figurine appeared in Theriault's 2001 auction of the archives of the former Hertwig and Company showroom.



A close up of his handsome face demonstrates the fine molded details.


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