Posted 14 years ago
vetraio50
(756 items)
I found this on an auction site here in Sydney. I had seen the mark before and knew that it was Amphora. The seller described it as being Lawrence of Arabia. I thought that it predated T.E. Lawrence's exploits in the Middle East. Still his title captured the romance behind Europe's fascination for Arab culture in the Art Nouveau period.
The makers were Riessner, Stellmacher & Kessel Amphora, a pottery factory in Trnovany, Czech Republic (Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia Austria).
I love the subdued gilding and the colour tones on these Amphora pieces.
Funnily enough I went into an Antique shop four blocks from where I live and I found another of these pieces. Ten times larger than mine, it is huge! It has a base almost five foot long! Amphora was capable of monumental work. These figures are unpopular today. But sometimes your tastes are not like those of the majority. Orientalism and Africanism may well have their day.
Some of their Arab figures are not painted. Others like mine have polychrome decoration with gilded highlights. Eduard Stellmacher signed busts of Bedouins and I believe he might have designed my Bedouin: Un messager du désert.
Did you buy he larger one???
No way! I'm a retired schoolteacher! She wanted $4500 for it.
Size was also a factor. I live in a one bedroom apartment.
The piece is so large I would be hard pressed to put it anywhere.
But I think it is still available if you're interested?
I think that there would have to be one less zero in the amount , I am such a cheapscape !! Remember the famous line from the movie The Castle " they must be dreaming !" I don't actually say it but probably it is in the back of my head when I see things for sale retail.
The lady who owns it used to park her Roller Corniche in my building.
There's gold in them thar Stellmachers!
Many thanks mark, ozmarty, AmphoraPottery & vintagemad!
It was a long time ago, m8! mind you the list is so long now people just don't go past the first section and those on top of the list. You'd know what i mean.
Mind you this stuff is really out of fashion.
Arab Orientalism is not to everyone's taste!
Many thanks mustangtony!
WOW! Love it!
Many thanks for the loves TOM31675!
This one is very different.
Out of fashion these days!
Many thanks AGHCOLLECT!
Many thanks NORDICMAN !!!!!
Many thanks CAPERKID !!!!!!!!!
Many thanks AURA !!! !! ! !! !!!
Many thanks RADEGRUNDER !!! !! ! !! !!!
Many thanks DLPETERSEN !!!!
Many thanks BUCKETHEAD !!!!
Many thanks HO2CULTCHA !!!!
Many thanks KYRATANGO & NUTSABOTAS !!!
Many thanks NEWFLD & HUNTERQLEE !!!!!!!!
Many thanks RADEGRUNDER !!!!!!
New Pix !!!
Gorgeous new photos Vet, the close up in pic #2 is awesome
Many thanks BHIFOS & NEWFLD !.!!.!
Many thanks CISUM !.!!!.!
Many thanks VYNIL !!!!!
I remember seeing other figures like this described as Lawrence of Arabia, I like Amphora very much, congrats on this one !~
Many thanks PHIL .... I think the Lawrence attribution is fanciful ... might be Saladin ???