Featured Thoughts on this porcelain figural group?

I recently purchased this online:







It stands about 6 1/4” tall on a base about 4 1/2” square and is unsigned.


Here’s a look at a face:


How the hair is treated:


The wings are painted on both sides:


The yellow on the wings and the treatment of hair on the figures appears to be under glaze, as is the color under the figures, but details on the wings and faces look to be over glaze. I simply can’t tell about the color on fingers and toes, except that it’s an effect I like.

The taller, standing cherub has a vent hole (in an appropriate place). I guess they thought they could get away without one on the crouching figure. They were wrong, and there is a firing crack below the head.


A couple of pinpoint dark spots that are tiny inclusions in the porcelain. Other inclusions in the porcelain have been over painted with tiny spots of white. There are several of these. I discovered their purpose by removing one.


These things don’t bother me. I think that modern processing would eliminate these issues, so I take having them as an indication of age.

There is red gold gilding around the base. The gilding is mostly intact and quite shiny, but (perhaps due to the color) it looks old.


The figurine had felt covering the bottom. This was removed by the seller and the bottom shows adhesive residue.


I’ve looked this thing over carefully and can find no trace of a maker’s mark.

Any thought on how old it might be, or who made it?

 

You could use ultraviolet light (Blacklight) to see if there is newer overpainting. The group resembles a lot of Dresden pieces but a lot of German (even Japanese) companies copied. Looks like 1890's possibly but I am not great with porcelain.

 

Here is a Meissen piece - the decor on it is nicely done. https://bid.igavelauctions.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=1171407

 

MOS, that piece is SO Sweet!!!! I'm sure you must have gone over each side as well from the feet on down to the bottom of the base in the decorations as well?? I know you DON'T miss much!!!

 

Never though to check it with UV light, but I've just done so... to absolutely no effect.

I am certain this is not Meissen.

 

I just love their chubbiness. What a sweet little piece!

 

I've gone over it minutely.

I thought there might be something raised on the bottom, but it turned out to be dribbles in the glaze:


Then I thought there might be something under the small lip at the top of the base, but it's just a stray bit of paint:

 

Think I found yours, sorry, I wasn’t sure until I saw the firing crack.

 

I feel sure it's continental and 19th century but can't say any more. I found the same pic as Houseful but it led me nowhere.

 

I never assumed it was Meissen - I was pointing out that the decor was a lot 'cleaner' then on your group. The exaggerated painting on your group is not something I have seen with Dresden or Meissen.

 

I'm thinking there's a reasonable chance it's Italian... but who knows.