1950s Catalina bathing suit with print of birds having s*x

[SouthWest]

Hi folks,

I am searching for information on the designer and history behind a Catalina women's bathing suit. The suit is one-piece, cotton, boned, with button straps and a sarong-style tie over one hip. It has classic boy leg styling, and elasticated shirring at the sides and center front.

But the thing that makes me deeply curious about the design, year and circumstances of its manufacture is the print; the shell fabric is bright yellow, with a novelty print of birds doing what comes naturally, in an atomic, line-drawn style. There is black piping at the legs, neckline and around the edges of the sarong tie.

Can anyone tell me anything about this swimsuit? I understand Catalina hired name designers in the 50s; does anyone know who designed this fabric?

Please let me know if you have ideas on where I can find out more!

Thank you!

 

[northstarvintage]

Wow - that is fantastic!

I know Catalina used fabrics designed by Associated American Artists. I found this print, which is similar, but not an exact match

https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/1108711599/

At the bottom of that page there is a non-clickable link that takes you to a page at Kansas City University. It comes up as non-secure, but I think only because there's no "s" at the end of the http. At the bottom of that page is a huge PDF file, which I just downloaded, and it has all sorts of information about AAA artists.

You could also check with the folks in the Novelty Print group on FB. They are very enthusiastic about this kind of thing and really know their stuff.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NBPBST/

I keep looking at that suit. It is SO GOOD.

 

[SouthWest]

Thank you so much! I will chase all of those leads.

It is a VERY special suit. And it appears to have never been worn. Crazy! I've been hunting through images of Catalina ads, hoping to find something that will help, even another suit with the sarong-style tie. This is turning out to be quite the click hole!

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

What an amazing print and suit!

 

[amandainvermont]

Terrific suit! Thanks for the smile. I forwarded this on to Pam, who is a vintage bathing suit person.

 

[lkranieri]

Per this Pinterest post, one of our past VFG members had the same suit for sale and she called the print Dirty Birds. I don't know if that was just her name for the print...

 

[The Vintage Merchant]

SouthWest, that is one terrific suit!

 

[GemGem]

Wow, must have been so risqué for the era! How much fun would it have been to wear it back then?

 

[glamoursurf]

Catalina had some great novelty prints back in the day, Ive seen this one, owls, gingerbread men, fish etc. I have a blog post with a
similar style to your swimsuit:
http://www.glamoursplash.com/2014/04/1952-catalina-tapa-shell-swimsuit.html

Catalina used many manufacturers for different 'fabrics' so I'm not sure you'll be able to pin that down. Ditto for designers. Good luck, great suit!