A striking monumental figure depicting Napoleon Bonaparte III, President of France from 1848 to 1852 and Emperor of France from 1852 until 1870.
He wears a cobalt blue tunic with white and gilt epaulettes, a white and gilt sash, white breeches, and black boots. He holds a black plumed hat in his right hand and wears a sword with tassels on his left. He stands beside a stonework pillar atop a white base with the title ‘LOUIS NAPOLEON’ in raised gilt capitals. This figure was produced in two sizes - a 12” and a 16” version - this being a large example. This impressive figure is a fine example of the theme of foreign royalty figures which enjoyed particularly great popularity in the 1840s and 1850s.
The figure displays well and is in good condition. The gilt title is worn and faded and there is extensive flaking to the over-glaze black of the sword (the black of the hair, hat, and boots is under the glaze and therefore protected from flaking). There is an old chip on the (viewer’s) right side of the base. Some of the cobalt has run over Napoleon’s fingers and there are some cobalt smears on the back of the figure - a manufacturing imprecision. There are some scuffs to the bottom of the base where the glaze has not taken. and there are some very light, imperceptible scratches to parts of the glaze commensurate with age.
There are remnants of old dealer’s stickers on the base and back of the figure which can be easily washed away.
Reference: A. & N. Harding, Victorian Staffordshire Figures 1835 - 1875: Book One, p. 211, fig. 733
Height: 16”
Date: c. 1850
A striking monumental figure depicting Napoleon Bonaparte III, President of France from 1848 to 1852 and Emperor of France from 1852 until 1870.
He wears a cobalt blue tunic with white and gilt epaulettes, a white and gilt sash, white breeches, and black boots. He holds a black plumed hat in his right hand and wears a sword with tassels on his left. He stands beside a stonework pillar atop a white base with the title ‘LOUIS NAPOLEON’ in raised gilt capitals. This figure was produced in two sizes - a 12” and a 16” version - this being a large example. This impressive figure is a fine example of the theme of foreign royalty figures which enjoyed particularly great popularity in the 1840s and 1850s.
The figure displays well and is in good condition. The gilt title is worn and faded and there is extensive flaking to the over-glaze black of the sword (the black of the hair, hat, and boots is under the glaze and therefore protected from flaking). There is an old chip on the (viewer’s) right side of the base. Some of the cobalt has run over Napoleon’s fingers and there are some cobalt smears on the back of the figure - a manufacturing imprecision. There are some scuffs to the bottom of the base where the glaze has not taken. and there are some very light, imperceptible scratches to parts of the glaze commensurate with age.
There are remnants of old dealer’s stickers on the base and back of the figure which can be easily washed away.
Reference: A. & N. Harding, Victorian Staffordshire Figures 1835 - 1875: Book One, p. 211, fig. 733
Height: 16”
Date: c. 1850
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