Bow Porcelain Animal Sculptures

18th-century bow porcelain Models of South American Parrots, Circa 1758-62 These beautiful Bow porcelain birds are naturalistically modelled, each perching on a flowering stump issuing from a rococo-scroll moulded base. They are both standing on one leg and holding a peach in the other claw, one is bringing the fruit up to it's beak to eat. The plumage is very brightly coloured, with the individual feathers outlined.  One is in blue, green, turquoise and red, and the other is mainly blue with long tail and wing feathers in red.  The bases are picked out in purple and turquoise. The pair are after parrots made at the Meissen factory and first modelled by J.J. Kändler in 1741. Dimensions: Green Parrot 7 1/2 inches high x 5 1/2 inches wide x 4 1/2 inches (19.05 high x 13.97cm wide x 11.43xm deep).; Blue Parrot: 7 inches high x 5 1/2 inches wide x 5 inches deep. Reference: The Met has a single example Yvonne Hackenbroch, Catalogue of Chelsea and other English Porcelain, Pottery and Enamel in the Irwin Untermyer Collection, Pl.92. Rackham, Catalogue of the Schreiber Collection, Vol. 1, Plate. 1, No.67. Now in the V & A Museum,. The pair in the Victoria and Albert Museum was purchased by Lady Charlotte Schreiber...

In the white. Each recumbent on an integrated base moulded as a cushion with ‘embroidered’ edge and tasselled corners; the bitch with head raised, the dog sleeping with head turned, each with a wide collar. Porcelain of deep cream colour and even glaze. Open bases, glazed internally. Straw translucency. Provenance: with Stockspring Antiques, London, 1999. The bow pugs derive from the Meissen reflecting the popularity of the Moporden, (the Order of the Pug), as a symbol of the aristocratic secret society following the papal order of excommunication of Freemasons in 1736. Other examples: (i) Pair, V&A, Gift, Lady Charlotte Schreiber...