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Svend JespersenDanish Porcelain German Shepherd by Svend Jespersen for Bing & Grøndahl
About the Item
Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Cat Figurine No. 774
Model by Knud Kyhn – ca. 1898–1923
Model no. 774 is considered one of the rarest and most technically challenging porcelain figures ever produced by Royal Copenhagen. Designed by sculptor Knud Kyhn, this piece depicts a long-haired cat grooming itself—a moment of animal intimacy rendered with striking sculptural finesse. The complexity of the form, with delicate extensions like the raised paw, slender tail, and layered fur, led to a high failure rate during kiln firing. Production was soon discontinued, and only a very limited number of examples were completed and preserved.
The pose is compact and slightly twisted, with the cat’s head turned toward its flank and one paw extended. The flowing surface of the fur follows the visual logic of Danish Jugendstil (Art Nouveau), merging natural anatomy with stylized rhythm. The white porcelain body is accented only by subtle underglaze touches: green eyes and a pink tongue.
The figurine bears the Royal Copenhagen underglaze green mark without the word “Denmark”, a painter’s number 126 in cobalt blue, and the model number 774. A horizontal slash through the three wavy blue lines indicates factory second quality. Despite that, the piece is in excellent condition, with no damage or restoration.
Details
• Manufacturer: Royal Copenhagen
• Designer: Knud Kyhn (1880–1969)
• Model number: 774 – “Cat grooming itself”
• Production period: 1898–1923
• Style: Danish Jugendstil / Art Nouveau
• Material: White glazed porcelain with underglaze painting
• Dimensions: Height 16 cm × Width 16 cm × Depth 24 cm (approx. 6.3 × 6.3 × 9.4 inches)
• Marks: Three wavy blue lines (slashed), model number 774 in green, cobalt blue painter’s number 126
• Condition: Excellent – no damage or restoration
Painter No. 126 Identified
The cobalt blue number 126 under the glaze identifies the decorator of this piece as Miss E. Jørgensen, a porcelain painter active at Royal Copenhagen between 1900 and 1922.
The use of numeric painter marks was adopted between 1893 and the late 1920s, and later replaced by initials. This system allows not only for authentication but also for precise historical dating of individually hand-painted items.
About the Artist: Knud Kyhn (1880–1969)
Knud Kyhn was one of the leading sculptors at Royal Copenhagen, and among the most prolific in the factory’s history. He is best known for his expressive representations of fauns, satyrs, bears, deer, and Nordic animal groups. His works combined observation, imagination, and formal elegance.
To deepen his understanding of animal anatomy and behavior, Kyhn made repeated visits to the zoos of Berlin, Hamburg, and Paris, as well as travels to Lapland, where he studied wildlife in natural and controlled environments
- Creator:Svend Jespersen (1895 - 1985, Danish)
- Dimensions:Height: 3.55 in (9 cm)Width: 1.97 in (5 cm)Depth: 2.76 in (7 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Firenze, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2464216460732
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