If I'm not mistaken, it's to do with the type of corsetting used in the 17th c. The purpose was to give a smooth line from shoulder to waist,and an erect stance. Pushing boobs up and out did not happen til the 19th c or so.
Wish I hadn't said that now.....belongs in the 'embarassing moments' thread.
However, although I have only a passing interest in the size of other women's norks, I have to agree that most actresses on the Tv nowadays do have a distinct lack of norkage.
What on earth is the derivation of norks, by the way?
Has someone just made it up ?