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, March 7, 2024

Turkish Delight!

I recently acquired yet another creation by the Zaiden Toy Company. At 13 inches tall, she wears her colorful, if rather revealing, exotic outfit.  Zaiden advertised its dolls as being made from the "famous Zaiden Wood Fiber Compound, with high celluloid enamel finish." Although the finish retains its bright skin tones, it also has a tendency to crack over the decades as the underlying wood fiber contracts and expands due to heat, cold, and humidity, as demonstrated on this adorable odalisque.


This Zaiden maiden came in the remains of her original box, which includes the label with the faint stamp indicating that she is "Turkish." I could not find any information about Overland Products Corporation, other than it is listed as the assignee of Zaiden's patents. 


When wound via the key in her back, this harem honey shimmies her upper torso as her hips appear to slowly undulate. Zaiden applied for a patent for a mechanical dancing doll in 1922, stating, "This invention relates, generally, to improvements in. dolls; and the same has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of mechanically operated dancing doll adapted to perform rhythmic movements in simulation of Eastern and South Sea Island dances, and dances of a similar character." This Turkish delight certainly simulates the "rhythmic movements" of the East!


 

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for being a constant source of motivation, encouraging growth and exploration.

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