Lot Essay
This model is recorded in the the 1734 Taxa as "1 Rittelweibgen oder Lerchengeyer, welches vorstellet in Lebensgrösse, wie es eine Lerche frisst, ruhet auf einem verziertem Postament." See C. Albiker, Die Meissner Porzellantiere, Berlin, 1935, Tafel XXVIII, Abb. 105 for another example of this model and Abb. 103 for its pendent, a sparrow hawk with mouse. These two, the example of the pendant sold Christie's, New York, 24 May 2001, lot 421, and the present example are all painted with the same distinctive feather pattern.