Ivory statue of a watchmaker with an axe, or night watchman. - Lot 209

Lot 209
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Estimation :
3000 - 6000 EUR
Ivory statue of a watchmaker with an axe, or night watchman. - Lot 209
Ivory statue of a watchmaker with an axe, or night watchman. Very fine carving of the figure, particularly the face and costume, inlaid with old-cut red and blue semi-precious stones. The axe is in metal, as is the lantern, which has a cut-edge glass. The clock is in brass, inlaid with blue sapphire stones, and has a winding mechanism. Finally, the base is in chased and enameled metal, decorated with fruit, flowers and interlacing on a square lapis lazuli base inlaid with stones. Austrian work, Vienna - circa 1890 H. 24 cm Weight: 672 g (missing stones, chips, clock hands missing) Object containing ivory, CIC in process of validation. A re-export document is required for all items leaving the EU, at the buyer's expense. Note 1 : There are two other models of night watchmen by the same artist and two watch dealers. Note 2 : From the 18th century onwards, southern Germany, northern Austria and eastern Switzerland saw the development of a particular ivory craft: the creation of figures. The majority of these creations are of great finesse, depicting traditional characters or folklore. Production was extremely successful throughout Europe, supplying the cabinets of curiosity, display cases and tables of wealthy families. Over time, craftsmen sought to differentiate themselves from one another. Often, the base or type of sculpture was used to differentiate between sculptors. From the 1870s onwards, figures inlaid with jewels began to appear, in the style of Renaissance or Indian ivories. This innovation was the work of an as yet unknown artist who produced a variety of merchant and market figures in Vienna between 1870 and 1890. Today, we can find around twenty figures depicting wine merchants, watchmakers, burgomasters, music players, shopkeepers, night watchmen, ... . The distinctive feature of this production is the inlaying of fine stones in the ivory, giving the sculpture an air reminiscent of the Pierrot character, very fashionable at the end of the 19th century. There are three winegrower models by the same artist, and one in Lisbon's Medeiros Museum.
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