Featured Candle luster's with portraits paint over

Bought these gorgeous old candle lusters. I guess back in the day these were painted over they have portraits underneath the paint I wonder if there's any way to take that paint off?

 

Did you shine a light in there to see how the portraits look when it is lit up from the inside?
I could be way off base and totally wrong, but maybe this set was made that way and they look really special in the dark when they are lit up.

 

Looks like a Shah of Iran. May be a reason why they were covered.

Debora

 

Yep. Bet they're knock-offs of these.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/105979970_pair-baccarat-and-moser-iranian-luster-candlesticks

Debora

 

I find it doubtful they are know offs, the collection I bought them from was nothing but fabulous. See my other post

 

The pose doesn't look the same.....TO ME, but I could be wrong....best I could bring him out..........which isn't a lot......I think you can see him a bit better if you squint your eyes at the image....



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The hat looks right though doesn't it?

 

You know, maybe it IS the same image @Debora came up with!! I keep squinting back & forth.....able to focus on the nose too!! But the Dark hat (NOT the plume) itself in my image seems to have more of a "flare".....so I'll give up now!!!

 

The Baccarat versions have portraits of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar. You can compare images of those two individuals with the images on yours.

Debora

 

Debora,Your research skill with the 'puter literally boggles my tiny mind !
PS-Same goes for Aqui's camera acumen & Cookie's good fortune on the mountain of goblets he scored.
PS-The only way I'll ever find this much glass is at the Corning Museum.

 

I agree, they aren't knock-offs. They have suffered badly though, I suspect they may have been in a dishwasher.

European glass and crystal makers exported quite a lot to Persia during the late Qajar dynasty, and glass/crystal with the ruling Shah's portrait was very popular, especially with that of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.
When items are made in (small) serial production, there is no original one, only a prototype. Once a model is taken into production, the manufactured items are not considered knock-offs of the prototype, because the original design and the prototype are part of the production process.

I have a Bohemian glass bottle with a portrait of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, the same Shah who was probably on yours. While researching mine I came across several from the same series, in different colours and sizes. All were original antiques and likely made by the same Bohemian manufacturer.

 

Are these Baccarat & Moser & is the portrait a transfer or painted ? I do think a skilled amateur (with serious research) or expert could restore IF painted over.
If the image has been scoured away by the dishwasher a repaint's the answer.A skilled miniaturist would obviously be expensive,unless Granny's a virtuoso at enameling tiny demitasse' cups.
The Shah looks like Meher Baba in this portrait.

 

Upon closer inspection they weren't painted over. It seems the portraits were rubbed off. The seller was telling me a story that during the time it was illegal to celebrate the sitters and that is why the portraits were removed. I have seen in the past certain marks on porcelain items were painted over and there is a term for this but my old brain can't remember the term. As they sit they are just a pair of old luster's. Didn't pay much for them and they are still beautiful in their own right.

 

They certainly are.

 

Antique Luster's sans images aren't cheap & might appeal to a larger audience.