A Derby porcelain 'Mansion House Dwarf' or grotesque punch,…
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A Derby porcelain 'Mansion House Dwarf' or grotesque punch, 1800-1825 period, a humorous polychrome figure with a large funnel shaped blue hat and jaunty Harlequin vest and floral waistcoat; red crown and baton mark underside; staff now absent, height 17 cm

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  • Polychrome - Made or finished in many colours. For furniture, it is used to indicated a painted finish.
  • Grotesque - Grotesque decoration is any fanciful ornament applied to furniture and decorative arts, and includes distorted faces, mythical animals such as satyrs and sphinxes and less frequently fantastical fruit and flower forms.

    The Martin Brothers who set up their pottery at the end of the nineteenth century in Southall, Middlesex derived their fame from their hand made models of grotesque stoneware birds.
  • Harlequin - The Harlequin is a character from the Italian commedia dell'arte, a form of theatre typified by characters wearing masks, and acting out unscripted performances. There are corresponding characters in the French and Spanish theatre.

    In dress, he is characterised by his hat, mask, and colourful diamond-pattern tunic.

    Columbine is the mistress of Harlequin, and the wife of Pierrot.

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