11 Bawdy Burlesque Posters From The 1890s

Va. Va. Voom.

You’ll notice that lobsters are a recurring element in the posters. From what I can find, there are two reasons for this:

1. Lobster popularity at that time was at an all-time high (as was the price).
2. More interestingly, there’s this excerpt I found in the book “Horrible Prettiness: Burlesque and American Culture”, by Robert Clyde Allen:

“Part of her allure is her power to turn the tables on those men who would attempt to possess her, to dominate them and reduce them to midgets, comatose old men, ducks, and lobsters.

That dynamic hasn’t changed much, has it?

Also, note in poster #3: the woman is clipping her dog’s tail in response to a request for a lock of her hair.

See more of these posters at Retronaut.