VTT - Early 20th Century Style Exotic Girls

The postcard above and the burnt wood (pyrography) plaque below are from the early 20th century. Even though the postcard is titled "My Best Girl," they both seem to me to represent an exotic fantasy dream girl more than the girl next door.

size 11-1/2" diameter

This plaque is marked FLEMISH 853 ART on the back. Flemish Art was the largest and best-known manufacturer of pyrography products. This plaque would have been sold with the design stamped on the wood and would have been burned by a hobbyist following the stamped design. There are two red glass jewels glued to the crown. "Brilliant glass jewels" were said to add lustre and give a luxurious finish to pyrographic designs.

I used to think the Flemish Art numbers referred to the design. However, in an old burnt wood supplies catalog, the 853 refers to all the 12" plaques, not to a specific design. The 12" plaques were priced at $0.25 each or $3.00 per dozen. Jewels in the size used here were priced at 50¢ per hundred.

I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday