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 30, 2021

I recently acquired an original Hertwig and Company catalog from the 1920s to 30s.  I plan to post the entire catalog on this blog, but at some 50 pages, it may take a while. 


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Yet Another Toothpick Tootsie

Another member of the toothsome toothpick tootsies topknot troupe, this black-stockinged belle perches by a bisque basket that once held toothpicks or matches. This frisky figurine is 3.5 inches tall and incised "6626" under the basket. Nicely modeled for her small size, although she resembles some of the bawdy belles by the German firm of Schafer and Vater, this tootsie and her toothsome sisters are by an unknown German manufacturer. 




 

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