What characterises 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures?

Hard-paste porcelain from 19th-century German manufactories features high-fired kaolin clay, crisp sculptural details, and hand-painted polychrome enamel decoration depicting pastoral or allegorical subjects.

How were antique porcelain figurines traditionally crafted?

Figures were cast in plaster moulds using liquid porcelain slip, assembled by hand, and fired at high temperatures before receiving hand-painted enamel colours and a final glaze firing.

How can authentic antique Schierholz porcelain figures be identified?

Authentic pieces usually feature maker marks stamped or painted underglaze on the base, crisp mould detail, hand-painted facial features, and characteristic wear on the unglazed foot rim.

How can antique porcelain figures be styled in modern interior design?

Display these figures symmetrically on a mantelpiece, console table, or within a glass display cabinet to complement classical heritage interiors or contrast with modern decor.

What is the correct way to clean and care for antique hard-paste porcelain?

Dust gently with a soft microfibre cloth or dry soft-bristle brush, avoiding harsh chemical cleaners, abrasives, or soaking in water to prevent damage to delicate painted enamels.

for sale €1,404 $1,524

£1,200

Gillers Antiques Ltd

Sellingantiques Verified Since Mar 2023

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Id #SA1174631

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C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Name: C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1174631
Price: 1200 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Gillers Antiques Ltd

Description

An impressive large pair of 19th-century German porcelain figures from the Plaue Porcelain Manufactory (C. G. Schierholz), dating to circa 1865. Finely modelled in hard-paste porcelain with a lustrous clear glaze, each figure stands barefoot on a naturalistic oval base against a tree-stump support. The young harvester in a brimmed straw hat wears striped breeches and an open shirt; a sickle handle hangs at his side (blade now lacking). His companion, the female harvester, wears a soft blue skirt patterned with tiny sprigs, an off-the-shoulder blouse and a deep amethyst corset, holding a bundled sheaf and carrying a matching hat with ribbon; she also retains the sickle handle (blade lacking).

The palette—pastel blues, mauves and straw-yellow with gilt accents—is characteristic of Schierholz’s late-Romantic taste, while the modelling shows crisp attention to hands, drapery and hair, conveying the poised dignity typical of Plaue sculpture. At scale approaching 50 cm, the pair has commanding presence, ideal for a mantel, pier table or console in a Victorian, Country House or Neo-Classical interior.

Marks & Attribution

The underside of each base shows the underglaze-blue crossed-lines mark applied on a small glazed inset pad—an authentic Schierholz device for large models to protect the mark during high-temperature firing. Together with the style and technique, these features securely attribute the group to Plaue, c.1865, the early mature phase of Carl Gustav Schierholz’s figure production.

Historical Background

Founded in Plaue (1817), the manufactory was transformed after Carl Gustav Schierholz took control in 1850. His innovations in glazing and decorative techniques—and later the firm’s celebrated lithophanes—propelled Plaue among the leading German porcelain houses. Allegorical and pastoral subjects (Harvesters, the Seasons, rural labour) became signatures of the factory’s mid-19th-century output and today are represented in the Porzellanmuseum Plaue and major collections of 19th-century German decorative arts. This pair epitomises that pastoral-romantic idiom in a scarce monumental size.

Condition

Male figure: fine superficial firing hairline to the back (non-structural; UV-verified). Sickle blade missing, original handle present.

Female figure: sickle blade missing, original handle present.

Both retain original glaze and enamels with fresh surface; holes drilled to the tree stumps from later lamp conversions (now neatly finished).

Overall: Excellent condition for age and scale, with expected minor wear only.

Dimensions

Male: Height 50.5 cm (19.9?); Width 19 cm (7.5?); Depth 17 cm (6.7?); Weight 3,413 g

Female: Height 49.5 cm (19.5?); Width 19 cm (7.5?); Depth 17 cm (6.7?); Weight 3,664 g

Provenance & Notes

Comparable Schierholz harvesters and Seasons allegories are recorded in the Porzellanmuseum Plaue and appear across high-quality private collections, confirming the desirability of this subject and size for serious collectors of German porcelain.

Shipping & Packaging

Fully tracked and insured delivery. Professionally packed with appropriate protection; shipping cost reflects careful handling, packaging and postage. Please study the photographs; they form part of the description. Questions welcome.

Physical Dimensions

Height

50.5cm (19.88")

Width

19cm (7.48")

Depth

17cm (6.69")

Declaration

Gillers Antiques Ltd has dated these Schierholz Porcelain Harvester Figures to the 1860s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1174631

Dealers Internal Reference

B1437

Description

An impressive large pair of 19th-century German porcelain figures from the Plaue Porcelain Manufactory (C. G. Schierholz), dating to circa 1865.

“

Finely modelled in hard-paste porcelain with a lustrous clear glaze, each figure stands barefoot on a naturalistic oval base against a tree-stump support.

Gillers Antiques Ltd

The young harvester in a brimmed straw hat wears striped breeches and an open shirt; a sickle handle hangs at his side (blade now lacking). His companion, the female harvester, wears a soft blue skirt patterned with tiny sprigs, an off-the-shoulder blouse and a deep amethyst corset, holding a bundled sheaf and carrying a matching hat with ribbon; she also retains the sickle handle (blade lacking).

fig 1. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 1. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

The palette—pastel blues, mauves and straw-yellow with gilt accents—is characteristic of Schierholz’s late-Romantic taste, while the modelling shows crisp attention to hands, drapery and hair, conveying the poised dignity typical of Plaue sculpture. At scale approaching 50 cm, the pair has commanding presence, ideal for a mantel, pier table or console in a Victorian, Country House or Neo-Classical interior.

fig 2. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 2. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Marks & Attribution

The underside of each base shows the underglaze-blue crossed-lines mark applied on a small glazed inset pad—an authentic Schierholz device for large models to protect the mark during high-temperature firing. Together with the style and technique, these features securely attribute the group to Plaue, c.1865, the early mature phase of Carl Gustav Schierholz’s figure production.

fig 3. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 3. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Historical Background

Founded in Plaue (1817), the manufactory was transformed after Carl Gustav Schierholz took control in 1850. His innovations in glazing and decorative techniques—and later the firm’s celebrated lithophanes—propelled Plaue among the leading German porcelain houses. Allegorical and pastoral subjects (Harvesters, the Seasons, rural labour) became signatures of the factory’s mid-19th-century output and today are represented in the Porzellanmuseum Plaue and major collections of 19th-century German decorative arts. This pair epitomises that pastoral-romantic idiom in a scarce monumental size.

fig 4. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 4. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Condition

Male figure: fine superficial firing hairline to the back (non-structural; UV-verified). Sickle blade missing, original handle present.

Female figure: sickle blade missing, original handle present.

fig 5. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 5. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Both retain original glaze and enamels with fresh surface; holes drilled to the tree stumps from later lamp conversions (now neatly finished).

Overall: Excellent condition for age and scale, with expected minor wear only.

fig 6. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 6. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Dimensions

Male: Height 50.5 cm (19.9?); Width 19 cm (7.5?); Depth 17 cm (6.7?); Weight 3,413 g

Female: Height 49.5 cm (19.5?); Width 19 cm (7.5?); Depth 17 cm (6.7?); Weight 3,664 g

Provenance & Notes

Comparable Schierholz harvesters and Seasons allegories are recorded in the Porzellanmuseum Plaue and appear across high-quality private collections, confirming the desirability of this subject and size for serious collectors of German porcelain.

fig 7. A pair of 19th-century German hard-paste porcelain figures depicting a male and female harvester dressed in pastoral attire on sculpted bases. — fig 7. C. G. Schierholz Hard-paste Porcelain Pair of "Harvesters", Plaue Germany, C. 1865 – Large 50 Cm Figures

Shipping & Packaging

Fully tracked and insured delivery. Professionally packed with appropriate protection; shipping cost reflects careful handling, packaging and postage. Please study the photographs; they form part of the description. Questions welcome.