Porcelain Harlequin Figurines

I stuck my neck out and bought these yesterday. I haven't collected them yet but on viewing them I can confirm that they are extremely well modelled and painted. One figure has the tip of a finger missing and they need the bolted pedestal bases tightening but they are very high quality.

My question is, although they were sold as Samson (and they may well be) my feeling in viewing was that they are Italian.

However, despite extensive searches I have not managed to find any other examples of these figures and have not found any other porcelain figures with bolted on bases. They are large figures at 26cm tall (including the bases).

Any thoughts?

https://auctions.clarkeandsimpson.c...-details/3af11a77-01d5-4a20-833b-b22f00f1d0d1

 

Hmmm. Looks like a red anchor mark which is 18th c Chelsea and these are not that. So Samson may be right, but might be better to post back when you have them. Gorgeous set, regardless.

 

Yes I will do that tomorrow evening

 

Beautiful-If we lived in the UK or the Continent we'd probably be bankrupt...what a blasted trove,must admit I'm envious !

 

More photos as promised. Some minor losses to fingertips but very well made. Anchor is reddish brown.

 

Could they be unscrewed easily? I'm just wondering if the figures are marked differently than the bases. (not that I know anything)

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=che...9Za5MxlIaLM&vssid=_LS1XZ4P-NqqS0PEPkPLBwAg_49

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/203459

So, there are Chelsea harlequin figures and a comparison might help. They are certainly quality pieces. I do not know enough about early porcelain to say. The group on Facebook might have more information. I'm a tad jealous...

 

I’m going to give it a try in a couple of days as it would be good to see the base of the figures. They are loose but don’t unscrew easily.

 

I think @say_it_slowly is onto it, the bases look out of place to the figurines.

 

Quite possibly a later addition. Wondering if something happened to the original bases of the figures. The ones in the links I posted are all part of the figure.

 

The bases look to be a whiter porcelain than the figures.

 

and not well seated...

 

No. They need attention. The figures' bases are intact. However the shape of the plinths is a perfect fit. At the moment I've soaked the fittings with WD40 and hope that it will loosen the locking wheel sufficiently for me to take the bases off and investigate further.

 

They are definitely designed to go on the plinths.

 

Interesting! I'd like to think they're genuine Chelsea, but I just don't know enough about 18th c porcelain.

 

I don’t see them being Chelsea but I haven’t found another like them. The landscapes in the plinths look Continental,

 

It's the grit in the porcelain that's a bit of a puzzler to me. If it was Samson, the porcelain would be clean.