20th Century Porcelain Cockatoo Parrot Sculpture from Rudolstadt Volkstedt Manufacture, Germany

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Description of the object
a small, refined polychrome porcelain sculpture depicting a cockatoo perched on a tree trunk, entirely hand-decorated. … Read more Description of the object
a small, refined polychrome porcelain sculpture depicting a cockatoo perched on a tree trunk, entirely hand-decorated. The parrot is captured in a particularly lively and natural pose, with its head tilted downward and its large crest raised, featuring yellow feathers edged in red. The rendering of the plumage is of remarkable quality, carefully modeled in the porcelain and painted with a fine brush in delicate shades of yellow, green, light blue, and gray, with the individual feathers of the crest and tail outlined one by one. The trunk serving as the base is left unpainted and embellished with small touches of gilding, which create an elegant contrast with the animal’s vibrant colors. Despite its small size, the sculpture reveals meticulous craftsmanship and highly detailed modeling—qualities that make it a truly captivating piece for collectors of figurative porcelain. Underneath the base is the mark, painted in blue underglaze, featuring the interlaced monogram surmounted by a crown, of the historic volkstedt porcelain manufactory, now part of the city of rudolstadt in thuringia. In mark registers, this mark is recorded in 1915–1916 by the älteste volkstedter porzellanfabrik (see last photo, mark no. 11) and remained in use in the following decades until 1977, when it was replaced by a very similar version with finer lines, accompanied by the date of foundation. The sculpture can therefore be dated to the early decades of the 20th century.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer
the city of rudolstadt is famous for the numerous artistic porcelain manufacturers that have operated there, and the one that produced our cockatoo is the oldest and most prestigious. Its origins date back to 1762, when georg heinrich macheleid obtained a charter from the prince of schwarzburg-rudolstadt to open a porcelain factory. In 1899, it became a joint-stock company under the name aelteste volkstedter porzellanfabrik ag. Since the 18th century, the factory has distinguished itself for the delicacy of its porcelain figures, which are meticulously modeled and painted—so much so that they are still highly sought after by collectors today—and it remains the oldest porcelain factory still in operation in thuringia. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
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