General Auction including Antiques & Collectables, Gold & Silver
A late 19th-century circular wall plaque produced by the Johann Maresch factory in Aussig, Bohemia. The plaque is executed in polychrome siderolith, a type of terracotta-like ceramic, featuring a high-relief (alto-relievo) tavern or interior genre scene. The composition depicts three figures in 17th-century style dress: a seated woman in a green and red bodice with a white apron holding a bouquet of flowers; a man in a feathered cap and yellow-trimmed doublet playing a lute; and a third figure in a ruff and hat peering over a table in the background. The setting includes a rustic interior with a stone-arched background, a leaded window, and a wooden cupboard topped with ceramic jugs. The relief is finished in a polychrome palette of earthy tones including greens, reds, yellows, and browns. The reverse of the ceramic plaque bears the incised marks MUSTERSCHUTZ and JM, alongside the numeral 1 and the model number 5235. The plaque is mounted in its likely original circular black ebonised wooden frame featuring a narrow gilt interior rim.
Condition report:
The polychrome finish shows visible pigment rubbing and paint loss on the raised surfaces, most notably on the figures\' faces, hands, and the woman\'s knees. There is an accumulation of surface dust and grime within the deep recesses of the relief carving. The ebonised wooden frame exhibits minor scuffing, surface scratches, and small chips to the black finish around the outer circumference. The ceramic body appears to be free from structural cracks, major chips, or evident restoration.
Share this lot:
