Porcelain, painted polychrome and gold
Meissen, late 19th/early 20th century
Porcelain Manufactory Meissen, established in 1710
Model: Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706-1775), Peter Reinecke (1711-1768), c. 1750s
Underglaze blue swords marks, model numbers, impressed marks, partially painter’s signets
Heights: 12.5 cm to 15 cm
Good to very good condition
23 figures from the famous cycle of the Paris Barker, representing the traders of the 18th century
Object is taxed regularly. 19% VAT is added to the purchase price for deliveries within the EU.

The Paris Pedlars have been modelled after engravings by Comte de Caylus, respectively after watercolor drawings by the architect and sculptor Édme Bouchardon. Porcelain figurines of this type decorated festive tables of the so-called ‘show dinners’, for it was tradition at certain festive events since the Middle Ages to set up at the center of the table or on separate tables, palaces or houses within garden settings, which were equipped with figurines, rocks, pyramids and pergolas. The Cris de Paris figures that were originally created by Kaendler and Reinecke, represent besides market criers, sellers and traders also street musicians and passers-by.



The collection consists of following figures:

Clam Seller

Grape Trader

Woman with baskets

Music Score Seller

Pastry Seller

Pretzel Seller

10x Flower Sellers in various versions

3x Fruit Sellers in various versions

2x Hurdy Gurdy Players

2x Poultry Sellers in various versions

As well as a additional figure of a mother with her childs (not from the series, model number 2107)

Condition:

The figures are altogether in a good to very good condition, partially restored. Occasionally smallest chips and fire cracks. The heights range from 12.5 cm to 15 cm.



Porcelain Manufactory Meissen

Porcelain has been known in Europe since the 13th century, but always had to be imported from China. Thus it was mostly of lower quality – the Chinese rarely gave their best ware to the foreigners – and extremely expensive. As demand for porcelain became greater, European alchemists tried to discover the formula to create hard-paste porcelain. The production of the first European hard-paste porcelain was the result of a collaboration between the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger and the scientist Ehrenfried Walther Graf von Tschirnhaus at the court of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, in Dresden. As a matter of fact, it was finally achieved for the first time in Europe in 1708 to produce a white hard paste porcelain and in 1710 Augustus established Europe’s first hard-paste porcelain factory in the Albrechtsburg, a palace in Meissen. The so-called ‘Böttgerporzellan’ actually had more of a stoneware quality and it was not until the year 1713 that white porcelain was available for purchase. Initially unmarked, the motif of the ‘crossed swords’ was developed in the early 1720s and used from 1723 onwards. Since then, beautifully modelled and painted figures and table services were produced at Meissen, establishing its reputation as the pre-eminent porcelain factory in Europe. Outstanding potters, modelers and painters, e.g. Johann Joachim Kändler (1706-1775), Johann Gottlieb Klinger (1701-1781) and Count Camillo Marcolini (1739-1814), were employed at the factory, which dominated the 18th century style of porcelain, and Meissen wares and figurines were imitated by craftsmen at other porcelain factories throughout Europe. Meissen celebrated its 300 years of existence in 2008. Until today, Meissen porcelain is known for highest quality and originality and greatly appreciated.

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.