Not Sure What This is...

These are my great-grandfathers statues. The dark one has a wooden base and there is an emblem on the side stating "Made in France." The colored one, well i'm not sure what it is... any help?

 

Well, the colorfully dressed figure is generically referred to as a "blackamoor." Often depicting a North African.

 

Anything about the ornate figure?

 

Some sort of musketeer??? Just a wild guess

 

I think the first one looks more like a Spanish Conquistador, though I can't tell if his helmet is quite right. Could also be a Cavalier I suppose. The second one is definitely a Blackamoor. I thought it might be a Vienna bronze but I seem to be seeing pot metal showing through. The first could be bronze. What else is writtn on the medallion?

 

It has a rose on it and it says "Made in France" Around the boarder. But under the rose it says "Paris." The top phrase says "Fabrication" something

 

The top says Fabrication Fran.... (can't read the rest after the n.) Not sure if that's a maker name or (more likely?) the French equivalent of Made in France.

 

Are you sure that's a rose? It looks more like an upside down bell.

 

I'm not sure, but it
could be a bell.. or some other type of flower...

 

You might try taking a rubbing of the emblem.
See if anything stands out.

You probably know what I mean. Place a thin piece of paper over the emblem and rub with a soft pencil, or charcoal.

Or you could rub cornstarch into the emblem, dusting off the top layer to see what letters stand out.

I always think of Scaramouch when I see a dandy like this. Doubt it's meant to be him though.

 

The first one looks a lot like figures of Sir Walter Raleigh however it could be someone else I'm sure.

 

I thought the same on Raleigh. I first thought Sir Walter Drake, but the hair is too long. The clothing: jerkin, doublet, padded hose, etc... is all in the right timeframe (mid 1500s+) to be either man; however, if either or someone famous I would think the statue would be so labeled. As it carries a made in France label, I suspect like Brad suggested a French cavalier or musketeer.

As to that label/emblem, the top reads "Fabrication Français" meaning French Manufacturing and the rest as already stated "Paris Made in France." There doesn't appear to be any other writing. The symbol, pic or whatever in the middle is still up for grabs. It is just too messy to see clearly. What looked to me also like an upside down bell mayyyy???? be a center/cup/trumpet... of a flower protruding up from the middle of the blossum like a daffodil???



Then again, if a flower, it might be an iris, the national flower of France, of which the fleur-de-lis represents.

--- Susan

 

>Could be Francis, his brother<

Wellll, in that grab, it could be their sister Frances! Davey, you got me! I had Walt on the brain for Raleigh and just kept going without pausing.

--- Susan

 

Your first fellow is one of the French kings, I'm blowed if I recall which - see the fleur de lis on his head? The Blackamoor looks like a very nice cold painted bronze.

Not a rose, but one of the single trumpet calendulas, I think.

 

Owned -- I just love it when you speak Floral!

 

Here are a few pictures... the one with the screen is the real statue of Sir Walter Raleigh. I tried making a rubbing but nothing significant came up...

 

It looks more like an upside down bell.

I think that's intended to be a crucible, used by founders to carry molten metal from furnace to mould. Notice the pouring spout on the top edge.

 

Tobacco leaves on his hat - Sir Walter Raleigh