Painted Swimsuit Bathers
CLICK ON EACH PICTURE FOR A LARGER IMAGE!
These china sisters have become ubiquitous
in the on-line auctions. I bought this pair to check them out, and they
are to my mind (and the minds of other experienced collectors) possibly
new. On close inspection the facial painting does not appear to be quite
"right," the bisque or china just a little too white and bright,
and the color combinations used are not found on authenic antiques. Also,
the seashell is just plain white; in old German pieces, shells were usually
decorated with luster glazes. The vast numbers of these ladies and their
relations also argue against them being antiques (they appear to have an
extended family, but the familial resemblance is unmistakable). I heard
from one dealer who has sold a number of these figurines. He claims that
he bought hundreds of figurines from old German factory stock made from
the 1930s to 1960s; most of this stock was unpainted or partially painted.
This dealer stated that he has had these figurines painted in Germany. A
vintage figurine with a new paint job might be of interest to collectors,
but it is not an authentic antique and should not be sold as one!
This a picture from an
old catalogue of Heinz and Company. These china ladies often appear in solid
red or green swimsuits and their decoration is at best adequate. I have
seen such swimmers glued to souvenirs made of seashells and plaster. She
appears to have been reborn in both bisque and china, with a solid colored
swimsuit outlined in a darker color, superior facial painting, and often
red hair; sometimes she is seen with a little dog molded at her side.
A half doll pictured
in the Heinz catalogue. A new bisque version seems to be appearing regularly
in on-line auctions, made of bisque in a light green swimsuit with a white
sash, trimmed in darker green, and with delicate facial painting.
This powder box by Carl Scheidig is being reproduced in Europe. The painting
on the copy is pallid and smeared-looking and the shell lacks the iridescent
pearly luster of the original.
Thanks to a generous fellow collector,
here are pictures of the reproduction powder boxes marked "D.P.E. Germany."
Made of china, these new power boxes are flooding the market. Some honest
dealers are advertising these D.P.E. boxes as new, but others are either
silent as to their true age or are offering them as old. Although the painting
is rather nice, the material and modeling are somewhat rough.
This bathing beauty
by Schafer and Vater is being reproduced in Belgium by Mundial
Company. The bisque of the knock-off lacks the clean, sharp quality
of the original. In the original, the swimsuit (here bright orange, but
also came in blue) is cold painted, has a matte finish, and often shows
some wear. In the reproduction, the color appears to be shiny and fired
in, and is a dirty orange with greenish shading. The crisply molded details
of the original, such as her combmaked curls, are lost in the reproduction.
This is the genuine
Schafer mark, a three-pointed crown over an "R" in a sunburst,
as it is incised beneath the bather (I shaded it with pencil to make it
easier to photograph). The repro carries only a crudely incised outline
of the three-point crown. Because of Schafer's eccentric marking system,
many of its pieces do not carry the Schafer mark, or may have only a faint
or partial mark, but Schafer never used only an outline of the crown.
Inspired by Odorardo
Tabacchi's 1879 sculpture "La Tuffolina," this popular diving
belle was produced in various versions, sizes, and materials by German makers
for many years. Unfortunately, she is now being reproduced in Europe and
offered as old (or at least sellers aren't stating she is new!) on on-line
auctions. The modeling on the new version has been simplified and does not
have the nice texture and fine detailing of the originals. The painting
is also very basic, lacking the subtle shading often found on the old pieces,
with very pink skin, a bright, light blue bathing suit, yellow hair, and
a solid gray supporting rocky pedestal.
Reproductions of this
rare pair of pretty beach goers have long been out on the market, but I
have never had a chance to see the original until now. The German Doll Factory
had acquired the original mold a number of years ago and produced modern
reissues carrying its blue roly-poly clown mark. Afterwards, different copies
began appearing, either made from another old mold or from molds taken off
of the German Doll Company product, but the antique original eluded collectors.
Made of good china, this figurine is 4 inches long and 3 inches high. The
faces are nicely, although simply painted, and the painting on the suits
shows the rather hasty application common on these little early novelties.
The orange trim is cold painted, not fired in, and does show some minor
wear. Cold painting is a decorative technique widely used by German companies
in the 1920s and 1930s. On the lower back of the flapper in the green beach
pajamas is incised "3683 Foreign."
Just for comparison, here is
an example of the reissue by the German Doll Company, which is clearly marked
underneath with the company's logo. This model is in bisque and the painting
is far superior to that of the antique item. However, reproductions are
now appearing throughout Europe in both bisque and china. Although these
repros are very well done, the quality of the slip, the coloring, and the
facial painting are not quite "right" for an old piece.
Since I posted the above picture of the authentic piece, reproductions
are now showing up copying the original colors, although the colors on the
new figurines are a little richer and the painting more skilled. Be very
careful when considering whether to purchase this piece and check out your
seller very carefully!
These china sisters have become ubiquitous
in the on-line auctions. I bought this pair to check them out, and they
are to my mind (and the minds of other experienced collectors) possibly
new. On close inspection the facial painting does not appear to be quite
"right," the bisque or china just a little too white and bright,
and the color combinations used are not found on authenic antiques. Also,
the seashell is just plain white; in old German pieces, shells were usually
decorated with luster glazes. The vast numbers of these ladies and their
relations also argue against them being antiques (they appear to have an
extended family, but the familial resemblance is unmistakable). I heard
from one dealer who has sold a number of these figurines. He claims that
he bought hundreds of figurines from old German factory stock made from
the 1930s to 1960s; most of this stock was unpainted or partially painted.
This dealer stated that he has had these figurines painted in Germany. A
vintage figurine with a new paint job might be of interest to collectors,
but it is not an authentic antique and should not be sold as one!
This a picture from an
old catalogue of Heinz and Company. These china ladies often appear in solid
red or green swimsuits and their decoration is at best adequate. I have
seen such swimmers glued to souvenirs made of seashells and plaster. She
appears to have been reborn in both bisque and china, with a solid colored
swimsuit outlined in a darker color, superior facial painting, and often
red hair; sometimes she is seen with a little dog molded at her side.
A half doll pictured
in the Heinz catalogue. A new bisque version seems to be appearing regularly
in on-line auctions, made of bisque in a light green swimsuit with a white
sash, trimmed in darker green, and with delicate facial painting. 
