Object Description
Pair of large Meissen porcelain models of magpies
German, Late 19th Century
Height 53cm, width 14cm, depth 13cm
These wonderful porcelain Animalia pieces were made by the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory in Germany in the late nineteenth century. After a model by J.J. Kändler, these works depict a pair of large magpies, perched on a small, pale, naturalistically crafted tree stump, which has been applied with foliage. The birds are depicted in a fantastically dynamic and vibrant fashion, with their tails upturned and raised, their heads and beaks pointed downwards as they squawk. The black and white of their features are superbly realistic, and the subtle hints of colour on the base accentuate and complement the birds’ monochrome patterns.
Over the years, the excellent Meissen factory has passed down to different owners, which influenced a variation in style through various different periods. The famous crossed-swords mark was officially put in place on the 7 April 1723 to guard against forgeries which had started appearing. Until this day, the crossed-swords Meissen mark has always been a hand-painted blue underglaze mark, with several variations according to different periods of manufacture such as the ‘dot-period’ or the ‘Marcolini period’. These works are exceptional examples from Meissen’s animal models and Animalia output.