A rare and very attractive figure of a seated Turk with a pipe at his side, possibly the character of Artabanes from the Thomas Arne opera Artaxerxes. A collection label speculates that the figure depicts the 18th century tenor John Beard who performed the role at the opera’s debut in 1762, but even if the figure is intended to be Artabanes it is not at all clear that it should be Beard specifically.
The Turk sits cross-legged wearing a blue robe, white and gilt tunic, pink belt, and a white, gilt and pink turban with a gilded crescent moon motif. A smoking pipe sits at his left side. Neat holes are fashioned in his right hand and at the side of the pipe, suggesting that some kind of tube (almost certainly not pottery) was once included to represent a hookah-type smoking apparatus.
The figure is in excellent condition with no damage or apparent repair. There are small firing flaws across both ankles but these seem to be original to production, the feet having never been off.
This unusual little figure is an interesting rarity.
Reference: Possibly unrecorded
Height: 4.75”
Date: c. 1840s
Provenance: A substantial, high-quality private collection, name unknown. (The former owner’s reference label has been left attached should the buyer be able to identify other figures from the same collection.)
A rare and very attractive figure of a seated Turk with a pipe at his side, possibly the character of Artabanes from the Thomas Arne opera Artaxerxes. A collection label speculates that the figure depicts the 18th century tenor John Beard who performed the role at the opera’s debut in 1762, but even if the figure is intended to be Artabanes it is not at all clear that it should be Beard specifically.
The Turk sits cross-legged wearing a blue robe, white and gilt tunic, pink belt, and a white, gilt and pink turban with a gilded crescent moon motif. A smoking pipe sits at his left side. Neat holes are fashioned in his right hand and at the side of the pipe, suggesting that some kind of tube (almost certainly not pottery) was once included to represent a hookah-type smoking apparatus.
The figure is in excellent condition with no damage or apparent repair. There are small firing flaws across both ankles but these seem to be original to production, the feet having never been off.
This unusual little figure is an interesting rarity.
Reference: Possibly unrecorded
Height: 4.75”
Date: c. 1840s
Provenance: A substantial, high-quality private collection, name unknown. (The former owner’s reference label has been left attached should the buyer be able to identify other figures from the same collection.)
Image 1 of 17
Image 2 of 17
Image 3 of 17
Image 4 of 17
Image 5 of 17
Image 6 of 17
Image 7 of 17
Image 8 of 17
Image 9 of 17
Image 10 of 17
Image 11 of 17
Image 12 of 17
Image 13 of 17
Image 14 of 17
Image 15 of 17
Image 16 of 17
Image 17 of 17