Pair of Plymouth Porcelain Models of Pheasants
Circa 1768-70
Each opposing bird modeled with head and tail raised, perched atop a short tree-stump applied with flowering vine, the crest of the starry-eyed bird in red, the neck plumage in yellow and brown, the tail feathers and wing tips enriched primarily in red, puce and light blue.
Height 5 1/4 inches.

Provenance:
Sotheby's, London, 14 May 1974, lot 125.

At the time of this appraisal no other examples of this model are extant. A larger pair of pheasants were sold by Sotheby's, London 8 October 1952, lot 116. Also compare Bernard Rackham, Victoria & Albert Museum Publication, Issue 106C, Catalogue of the Schreiber Collection, Vol. I.-Porcelain, pl. 74, no. 703 for an 8-in. high, white example and no. 704 for an unillustrated pair of the same size. Link to http://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/40480
for a pheasant measuring 20 cm. at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University.

C Estate of Sarah Belk Gambrell

Both bases, tails and one neck with museum quality stabilized hairline cracks, one with an associated restored chip to the underside, chips to flower petals.

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