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, October 24, 2019

Early Halloween Treat

Halloween means dressing up in costumes, or in the case of this little treat, dressing down in a barely-there exotic ensemble of molded beads and jewels.  Although mainly decorated in soft creams and browns to resemble an ivory carving, her exotic attire is emphasized with gilt and accents of red and blue. By the German firm of Galluba and Hofmann, she is 5.75 inches long and incised underneath "9748."  This 9000 series was used by Galluba on many of its luscious harem ladies in exiguous beaded attire.  A similar sultana from this series appeared earlier on this blog.


A close up of her face shows the typical Galluba features, such as eyes with intaglio pupils highlighted with a dot of white and softly smiling slightly parted lips, but done entirely in shades of brown.


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