Meissen Figurines Pair Huntsman And Companion With Dogs /early Versions

Pair of Meissen Porcelain Figures of a Hunter with his companion both with small dogs , c 1800- pre 1860 , For once manufactured by Meissen Porcelain  and  not another local copy  . The figurine depicts  a huntsman seated on a stool holding a gun, with a dog at his feet, on a circular plinth base, his female companion similarly modelled seated on a stool holding a hound and a mirror, on similar base. First modelled by Acier c1776. Pre 1860  Height 14cm. The figurine was hand-painted and plated with  soft gold which can rub with time or nasty spray polish. Stamped on the bottom plus painted mark

Early Meissen due to their characteristic sharp prickly lace work as hard paste continental porcelain  is what it says on the tin hard so all applied decoration should be spikey. Later work is less well painted , smoother and easier to churn out in quantity. Also always inspect the hands as early pieces are detailed and realistic late ones a set of sausages

 Measurements: Height: 13cm

Rauenstein, also another ceramic maker in Thurungia, Germany, and from a similar time period (1780s-1800s) (Cited from: https://www.antiquers.com/threads/identifying-r-and-shamrock-hand-painted-marks.28180/)

Meissen porcelain Early in the 18th century, Augustus the Strong, elector of Saxony, arrested alchemist Johann Friedrich Bottger and imprisoned him in the town of Meissen; his mission, to discover the secret formula for hard paste porcelain. In 1708 Bottger unlocked the mystery and found the key to both porcelain and his freedom, and by 1718 factories began springing up across Europe fostering an atmosphere of ferocious competition.

 By 1720, the Meissen factory was producing wares that eclipsed even the finest Chinese porcelain. They dominated the European market and influenced porcelain production around the world. The Seven Year War in the late 1750s brought a halt to production at Meissen, and the mantle fell to the Royal Manufactory at Sévres, France, under the direction of King Louis VX. The third European factory to lead the market was that of Vienna, which in 1744 became the property of the Empire. Meissen procelain is perhaps most noted for its allegorical figures and those of everyday people in period costume and is without a doubt the most decorative of the three factories. Often heavily adorned with floral decoration, . Authentic Meissen is marked with the traditional blue crossed swords which, despite minor variations over the years, has remained consistent.

Condition stunning but very very dusty as on a mantlepiece since the 90's. For  age they are remarkable condition as normally bits broken or head replaced and rubbed gilt. The man's dog paw is possibly truncated as I would expect a modelled paw rather than a blunt end but can find none to compare it to so altered the price to accomodate this or later pr on !st dibs at £2k !