Author Topic: Meissen marking period help!  (Read 2095 times)

gor5505

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 7
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Meissen marking period help!
« on: May 08, 2010, 02:34:56 pm »
I am looking into buying a Meissen figurine, but I am confused as to what era it was made in. The seller states that it is from the 19th century, but I have never seen a Meissen marking like this before. Can anyone tell me about this? I will put a picture below. It also concerns me that it does not have the typical base that most Meissen have.


D&b antiques

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2034
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2010, 04:03:47 pm »
The first thing we need to get Chris Marshall A german trade mark expert to take a look at that trade mark. we have'nt seen Chris I'am sorry to say in a while.

But we are known  to impose on his Generosity from time to time. the base style is 1740's.

talesofthesevenseas

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6124
  • Karma: +35/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2010, 05:45:34 pm »
Meissen marks are really tough. I too was unable to find a Meissen mark with that double dot.
Antiqueaholic in recovery

sapphire

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3137
  • Karma: +34/-0
  • Without direction, we are lost.
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2010, 07:07:42 pm »
Ran across this....

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4669081

THE SAMSON CIRCA 1880, BLUE EDME SAMSON CROSSED MARK AND THE MEISSEN-STYLE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS WITH TWO DOTS MARK
Both inspired by Meissen models, on scrolled bases

sapphire

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3137
  • Karma: +34/-0
  • Without direction, we are lost.
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2010, 08:28:11 pm »
« Last Edit: May 08, 2010, 08:50:12 pm by sapphire »

fancypants

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1959
  • Karma: +22/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2010, 11:47:17 pm »
One simple way to have good relations with a seller is to ask : "where did this information come from (exactly) ?"

If a seller balks or blusters , take this as a 'sign' .

Although the item has a broken hand , I suppose you could buy it if you like it alot .

It's a much better investment to buy items of this sort with no damage(s) , IMO .

Does not look like a mark known to me (of authentic Meissen) .

Something about the piece seems more like a repro , or an 'after' Meissen to me , from the images .
In general , repros are not exactly meant to fool a buyer , while 'fakes' are !

Good for you about being careful , gor5505 .
" Methinks me the 'mental' in sentimental .... "

Chris_Marshall

  • Guest
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2010, 04:58:36 am »
Another big 'WhatThe...' is of course the ill fitting (and apparently ill-tempered) cat/dog/whatever. But that is just me :)

First of all gor5505 gets applause for being observant and not jumping to conclusions. Even if 'a base is a base is a base', certain versions *can* be a giveaway - take the 'typical' elaborate Volkstedt figure base, for example. It is of course only one point that a person should check but is always a good start, especially as the 'base' shown here is really peculiar ... I just don't want to know where that pilar ends at :)

D&b antiques: I always like to say that I am not an expert but like Ginni am merely an educated amateur. As much as I am honoured by the trust some people put in me I like it even more when folks actually 'get it themselves'. I saw this post and did not want to answer as I simply knew that somebody would get it right. The path to knowledge is best traveled in good company and that means people should share and learn and not rely only on a single person (simply to avoid errors 'cuz we're all human).

The company of Samson & Co is a typical example of how different points of view can distort history over time. While it during his time was pretty clear that he did not 'fake' items but merely created (as was demanded by his customers, btw!) his own 'interpretations' of certain items the common incompetence (as in 'not knowing' right up to 'not wanting to know' a.k.a. plain greed) of sellers today quickly turns Samson items into originals on one side or at least into 'evil fakes' on the other.

However one has to add that especially with companies that used hand-painted marks the normal variation of a given 'original' mark alone is reason enough to *always* closely inspect items using various approaches, depending on manufacturer in mind. In a given lot of 100 original old Meissen items you will probably only find a hand full that really show a mark as displayed in a given reference book. The best comparison in this matter is that folks should get a slip of paper and sign it five times a day over a period of a week - oh wonder, not every signature looks the same. Now imagine a decorator adding a mark to 20 items a day over a year ... and bingo, one finds that "divergence" actually is the norm.

Talking of: recent surveys claim that 2/3 of all citizens are more or less overweight. Blow me down but the last time I checked my math 2/3 actually was the norm (mathematical as in two-thirds majority or artistic as in the 'golden average', et al). Which means that 1/3 of all citizens is actually underweight but wants to dictate the norm? Statistics ... :)
 



syl

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 315
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Meissen marking period help!
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2010, 09:37:11 am »
I am curious as to how much the seller wants for this piece and is he claiming it is authentic Meissen.