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A Pair of Extremely Rare and Early Meissen Birds of Paradise,
The model by J.J. Kaendler 1733

This Cast and Decoration circa 1733
Acquired by a private collector, New York – now in the Frick Collection

Measurements

23,5cm

Condition

Restored; one base closed, one base open

Provenance

Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, the collections of the  House of Wettin

Another pair with the Johanneums No. 380 was sold at the so-called Johanneums sale Lepke Berlin 12.-14. October 1920, lots 178 and 179 for the extraordinary high sum of 64.000 Reichsmark.

Kaendler’s work report from 1.1733 XIX B1. 51states:

“noch ein kleiner Vogel in Grösse eines Finken, hat Flügel 2 grosse und 2 kleine, einen langen Schnabel, und der Schwanz besteht und 2 langen Federn, welche sich am Ende in einen doppelten Ring verwandelt“.

Literature

C. Albiker Die Meissner Porzellantiere im 18. Jhdt, Berlin 1959

Kat. Aukt. Graupe Berlin 15. 3. 1933, 77 Meissner Porzellanvögel und Französisches Kunstgewerbe aus einer bekannten Privatsammlung

Kat. Aukt. so-called Johanneums Sale, Lepke Berlin 12.-14. October 1920

A further example of these birds of Paradise is in the Porzellansammlung in Dresden, see:

C. Albiker, Berlin 1959, Ill. 102

Another pair was sold at Graupe Berlin 15.3.1933, lot 49.

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