Porcelain Figural 18th Century Tea Party Group from Volkstedt, 1890s

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Delicate applied porcelain lace trims the ruffled necklines, cuffs, and flounced skirts of this three-figure conversation group, depicting an eighteenth-century … Read more Delicate applied porcelain lace trims the ruffled necklines, cuffs, and flounced skirts of this three-figure conversation group, depicting an eighteenth-century gathering over tea. A standing gentleman dressed in a tailored purple frock coat, green breeches, and powdered wig leans attentively towards two seated companions resting upon a rococo settee. Their broad pannier gowns feature polychrome hand-painted floral sprigs and soft pastel accents, framed by cascades of dipped-lace porcelain trimming. The gathering centres on a freestanding pedestal table decorated with a painted faux-marble surface and scrolling tripod feet. The substantial base is formed with pierced and moulded rococo C-scrolls picked out in rich burnished gilding, with tiny modelled blossoms scattered across the marbled and lavender-painted ground. The reverse of the settee displays an embossed trellis pattern in white and gold, ensuring the group presents well from multiple angles. Produced in Germany during the early twentieth century, the underside edge displays an underglaze blue crowned monogram mark representing the porcelain manufactories of Volkstedt in Thuringia. German workshops in this district gained renown for their mastery of delicate ceramic lacework, creating expressive romantic vignettes inspired by eighteenth-century Meissen and continental court life. The overall structure remains well preserved, though damage is present to the tea service on the tabletop, where an accompanying pot or vessel is missing, leaving a visible scar on the marbled top. The miniature porcelain lace retains remarkably good integrity for its age, with only typical minor nibbles to the outer frills. The group measures approximately 12.5 cm high, 15.5 cm wide, and 10.5 cm deep. See less