Bawdy Bisques and Naughty Novelties: All Tied Up in a Bow

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, December 13, 2018

All Tied Up in a Bow

In this season of gift wrap and ribbon, this beautiful belle adorned a big blue bow is most timely. By Galluba and Hofmann, she is an unusual molded hair version of a wigged model. Earlier this blog featured a series of bisque half dolls by Galluba with either wigs or molded blue hair bows and this factory appears to have done the same for some of its bathing belles. Of excellent bisque, this beribboned beauty is 2.25 inches high and 3.25 inches long. Underneath she is incised with a "400" number obscured by an air hole.