CIRCA 1734, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK

Details

A MEISSEN FIGURE OF A DWARF
CIRCA 1734, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK
With a hunched back and bulging stomach, wearing a black hat with a green rosette secured by a white Sgraffito cord, a yellow jacket, the puce cuffs with Sgraffito scrolls, a puce waistcoat, iron-red trousers with clustered black dots and Sgraffito seams, and black shoes, standing on a waisted stepped octagonal pedestal, the top marbled, the sides with a band of purple foliage and flowerheads between purple line borders (broken through legs and restored, restored chip to brim of hat at front, very small shallow chip to edge of base, slight flaking and wear to enamels)
3¾ in. (9.6 cm.) high

Provenance

Baron Erich von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, sale Christie's Geneva, 9th May 1988, lot 139.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

This figure is probably loosely derived from Les Gobbi series of engravings by Jacques Callot (executed in Nancy in 1616) which depict hunchbacked dwarves at various pursuits. A gilt version of this figure from the Rudolf Stein Collection was sold by Glückselig & Wärndorfer, Vienna, 10-12th March 1924, lot 159. For a partially gilt version in the Museum für Kunstandwerk, Leipzig, see Claus Boltz 'Die wöchentlichen Berichte über die Tätigkeit der Meissner Dreher und Former vom 6. Juni 1722 bis 31. Dezember 1728' Keramos No. 178, October 2002, p. 61, no. 53, where it is illustrated alongside other Callot inspired dwarves. It would appear that a total of some 352 Zwergnationen figures were produced between 1722 and 1728.

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