ANTIQUE (VERY EARLY 1800's) PAIR OF LARGE HARD PASTE PORCELAIN STATUETTES - YOUNG BOY AND GIRL
HISTORY -- UNDER THE PROTECTION AND PATRONAGE OF LOUIS-ANTOINE, DUKE OF ANGOULEMME (1775 UNTIL 1844), GUERHARD AND DIHL OPENED A HARD PASTE PORCELAIN FACTORY IN 1780 IN THE RUE DE BONDY. DIHL A MAN OF BROAD SCIENTIFIC ATTAINMENTS, IS CREDITED WITH BEING THE FIRST TO ESTABLISH A COMPLETE PALETTE OF COLORS THAT COULD BE USED FOR THE DECORATION OF HARD PASTE PORCELAIN. THIS FACTORY SUCCESSFULLY REPRODUCED ALL THE UNDERGLAZE COLORED GROUNDS USED AT SEVRES AND ALL THE COLORS FOR ON GLAZE PAINTING
MANUFACTURED FROM HARD PASTE PORCELAIN BY ANGOULEME GUERHARD, A LIFELIKE AND DETAILED EXQUISITE PAIR OF LARGE STATUETTES OF A YOUNG BOY AND GIRL CLOTHED IN THE PERIOD DRESS OF THE TIME IT IS NOTEWORTHY TO REMEMBER UPON VIEWING THESE REALISTIC STATUETTES THAT THEY WERE BOTH MANUFACTURED 200 OR MORE YEARS AGO. THE GIRL HOLDS A TAMBOURINE OR DISH OF SOME TYPE AGAINST HER LAP WITH HER LEFT HAND. SHE WEARS A BLUE RIBBON TIED IN A BOW ABOVE HER HEAD AND HER RIGHT HAND IS HELD OUT WITH HER FINGERS OPEN. FLOWERS DECORATE HER DRESS AND SHE IS IN A SEATED POSITION WITH HER SANDALLED FEET CROSSED.
THE YOUNG BOY WEARS A GREEN STRAW HAT UPON HIS HEAD AND HAS A SATCHEL / BAG SLUNG ACROSS HIS LEFT SHOULDER WHICH RESTS AGAINST HIS HIP. HE APPEARS TO HAVE HELD A FLUTE IN HIS MOUTH AT SOME POINT JUDGING BY THE WAY HIS HANDS ARE HELD IN FRONT OF HIM. THIS FLUTE IS MISSING. HE IS ALSO IN A SEATED POSITION WITH HIS SANDALLED FEET CROSSED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE GIRL
I IMAGINE THAT BASED ON THEIR POSTURES ETC THEY REPRESENT THE CLASS OF THAT ERA WHO WOULD PERFORM IN THE STREETS TO EARN MONEY
THIS IS A REMARKABLE PAIR OF STATUETTES / FIGURES THAT HAVE BEEN CRAFTED IN AN EXCEPTIONAL STYLE AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY RARE. IT IS EVEN HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THERE ARE NO OTHERS LIKE THEM SURVIVING
STAMPS/MARKS ETC : THE "A" WITH LITTLE LINES AT THE BOTTOM OCCURS ON EACH ITEM UNDERNEATH ALONG WITH A NUMBER. THE "A" IN THIS PARTICULAR METHOD WAS USE BY ANGOULEME GUERHARD FROM 1793. LINK BELOW
http://www.oldandsold.com/pottery/france5.shtml
LINKS/EXAMPLES ETC : I AM COMPLETELY UNABLE TO FIND ANY IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR ITEMS BUT THE LINK BELOW DISPLAYS AN ITEM BY ANGOULEME GUERHARD OF HARD PASTE PORCELAIN FROM 1785
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/set-5-antique-french-paris-porcelain-plates-duc-dangouleme-guerhard-dihl-1785/292028483164?hash=item43fe41065c
CONDITION : PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT BOTH ITEMS ARE LARGE AND 200yrs OR MORE. THERE ARE SMALL REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN EFFECTED ON THE ITEMS OVER THE YEARS (boys hand and some fingers appear to be re attached and the girls right hand re attached with skill and not visible due to her sleeve ) . THE TIP OF A FINGER ON THE ATTACHED HAND IS MISSING. THERE ARE WHAT SEEMS TO BE CHIPS (two) ON THE BRIM OF HIS HAT. THEY DO HOWEVER SEEM NATURAL. THE GIRL HAS THE THUMB TIP AND FINGERTIPS MISSING ON HER RIGHT HAND AND A CHIP ON THE EDGE OF HER TAMBOURINE. OTHERWISE BOTH OF THESE ITEMS ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION FOR THEIR AGE. THERE ARE NO CRACKS OR BREAKAGES, DAMAGES OR CHIPS (except as mentioned)
SIZE : GIRL -- 39.5cm HEIGHT.....22.5cm LEFT TO RIGHT.....approx 22cm FRONT TO BACK
BOY -- 42cm HEIGHT.....19cm LEFT TO RIGHT.....approx 24.5cm FRONT TO BACK
WEIGHT -- TOGETHER APPROX 4-5kgs
ONE BID FOR BOTH AS A SET
POSTAGE : Collection Possible. Postage method is Buyers Choice
SAPO R50 Postnet R99
This SET may be combined with ANY other items up to 5kg for ONE standard postage fee
