Winter has set in, and with it, bleh. There’s just something about the short days, the darkness — I need HAPPY to offset it. How about this: I recently pounced on a few rolls of 1970s (I believe) vintage wallpaper. One of those super whimsical designs showing various illustrated characters taking baths in their Victorian-revival bathrooms, all hinting naked, hence the “risque” in my headline. These make me so happy — and I want to send some happy your way too! Above: George with his cat. [Mystery for all times: Who was George?] I gave each character a name as I was scanning, so’s I could make sure I got them all.
Above: Lady with her cat. Dig the wallpaper… and the towel… and the 1920s style sink (that you can still get today). In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a revival in renovating Victorian houses, and often, they were done in a neo-Victorian-meets-hippy style like this.
Above: Lady with paisley rug.
The thing about this wallpaper is that the characters and interiors are sort of … 1960s Danish Modern meets Marimekko meets Gemma Toccogna. I’ve never seen a neo-Victorian novelty illustration bathroom wallpaper with characters and interiors like this. The mashup is just wonderful.
Above: Freckled lady, but then I looked closer and see it’s really Lady laying in the bathtub with shower running.
Red-headed lady. The paper is heavy vinyl… embossed with cross-hatch nubblies… and I didn’t color correct. Off-white/beige field, with black and burnt orange-colored ink. Burnt orange is my favorite color. And whimsy doodle characters on novelty wallpaper are my all-time favorite. So, this wallpaper is really floating my boat. Or, my Victorian footed bathtub, if you will.
The paper was made by Vicoa, Inc. of Eatontown, N.J. There are 2.5 rolls — enough, I think, to re-wallpaper my bathroom — for its third look — when it needs it again. Meanwhile, the rolls will go into my stockpile aka museum aka … hoard. Sigh.
Novelty one- or two-color wallpapers with risque, line-drawn bathing beauties seem to have been a thing in the 1970s. See this story about a number of other such wallpapers at Hannah’s (one design shown right).
Above: Mr. Reading A Book. There were six characters in all. Every time I look at them I decide on a different favorite, which is your favorite?
Stay warm and sunny, everyone!
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Dan ODay says
My theory is the Victorian/Art Nouveau revival began in the early 60’s with the hippies moving into the many then nearly derelict ‘painted ladies’ of San Francisco. The sensuous art of Alphonse Mucha, Toulouse Lautrec, and Aubrey Beardsley was a perfect fit for their bohemian lifestyle. Of course, what was daring yesterday is midstream today, and it wasn’t long before the same look was showing up in Better Homes and Gardens, usually tweaked a bit to make it more palatable for middle America, as seen in this wallpaper.
It seems that during the 20th century, there was about a 50 year gap between the introduction of a style and its rebirth. The Art Nouveau of the 1910’s was rediscovered in the 60’s; Art Deco of the 20’s and 30’s was hot in the 70’s and 80’s; and now in the 2010’s we are nuts about the MCM of the 60’s. I suppose we will see the 70’s reborn in a few years but, even having lived through that decade, I’ll be darned if I can think of what constitutes stereotypical 70’s decor. Any help?
Pam Kueber says
I have news for ya: the 70s already is hot again!
Joan Renee Stark says
Wouldn’t it be fun to reprint the designs on hand towels?
Mary Elizabeth says
Pam said, “1960s Danish Modern meets Marimekko meets Gemma Toccogna. Love that characterization! As for the lovely wallpaper, how about putting it in only on one wall, as a feature? The other walls (painted in a color that complements the paper) could have black and white Victorian prints, scherenschnitte, silhouettes, etc.
Pam Kueber says
I hear ya, but I don’t do feature walls. When I go in, I go all in!
Jill says
Love it! Great comments also. I read an interesting article a while back about style and design of the 20th century. It brought out the idea that each decade of the 20th century had it’s own very recognizable design and style up to the 90s. Then it stopped. Homes, furniture, cars, clothes, pretty much everthing can be catagorized very easily. But from 1990 until now have we seen anything like that? The author claimed we hadn’t. I tend to agree. Retro as inspiration for design started in earnest back around the 80s and maybe that stiffled some creativity?
Lynne Shelton says
Omg! So amazing! I fondly remember the Biba era at the time that wallpaper was popular. LOVE BIBA!!!! If you young “retros” don’t know about it, please Google Image Biba! That wallpaper! Pringle’s can-esk and Lums and Shakey’s Pizza-esk!!
Pam Kueber says
Well who knew? You! Thanks!
Tarquin says
I was young at the time and haven’t heard of the Biba era until now. I just looked it up and it was a very fun time period. Today we probably would consider it Hippie-Chic. It seems like it started with Twiggy and ended with Stevie Nicks.
Kristie says
What funny, happy wallpaper! I can see the allure, but please, don’t trapper your bath too soon. Your “glowy” beige with bow tie sconces is just so…perfectly mid century.
Pam Kueber says
Yes, the glowy wallpaper in there now is holding up well, too…
kt2le says
WE HAD THIS! It was installed in the bathroom my sister and I shared when our new house was built in 1973. The burnt orange accents matched the burnt orange shag carpet that was throughout the house including the bathrooms. I remember it clearly and once tried to search for it online with no success. I never knew the spec for it nor had any photos of the bathroom so it was all in my head. I’m smiling from ear to ear. Thank you!
Pam Kueber says
So happy to make you happy! Wallpaper will do that!
lady says
I grew up with this wallpaper too – it was in our main bath. I was a naughty kid and drew the missing anatomy on the people in the space between the tub and the toilet so my mom wouldn’t find out!
This made me so happy to find it online – it’s so hard to explain to folks who had boring wallpaper growing up!
Dellinda Rabinowitz says
I have the same (but different) wallpaper on my bathroom wall. I love it, but it’s falling down. I found a roll years ago. I’m not sure where. I was determined to use it. I’ve been looking for it forever, but I want to redo my wall. My grandchildren love it.
Mine is all pink ad black. The same guy in the tub reading, and the girl in the shower. There is a cat in the bathroom floor and a large from. There is also a girl on the beach with two birds.
Pam Kueber says
Pink and black — how fun!!!!
Carol McDonald says
Do you know the designer of the wallpaper Hannah has? It looks similar to my sister in laws parents old house that has been sold. I would love to find out the artist of that wallpaper. Thank you!
Julie says
Help! We’re refreshing the basement bathroom at my mother’s home, and she wants to keep this wallpaper, but we need to patch or replace some of it. Do you have any idea where I might be able to find this paper for sale?
Pam Kueber says
Hi Julie, here is my roundup on where to find vintage wallpaper — https://retrorenovation.com/2011/03/01/7-places-to-buy-vintage-wallpaper-from-1-25-to-200-per-roll/
The rolls I show in this story are rolls that I found on ebay.