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Up for sale or buy-it-now is a truly magnificent and exceptionally rare Late 19th Century (circa 1890s) German Porcelain Figural Oil Lamp Base, beautifully modeled in the likeness of a Kingfisher bird. Often mistaken for an owl due to its wonderfully plump profile and striking glass inset eyes, this is a premium example of historic European decorative porcelain art.
This piece was meticulously crafted by a premier German manufacturer of the Victorian eraâmost likely Sitzendorf or Schierholz (Plaue).
The standout feature of this rare piece is the incredible "Coralene" technique. The bright orange, yellow, and blue colors of the plumage are applied to the porcelain body under a surface layer of thousands of microscopic textured glass beads. This meticulous process gives the bird an astonishing tactile depth and causes the vivid pigments to beautifully shimmer when caught in the light.
The bird stands proudly upon a naturalistic, snowy white porcelain tree stump mound intricately wrapped in lifelike, deeply glazed green ivy leaves and trailing vines. The top of the figurine is crowned with an integrated, elegantly scalloped white porcelain flower rim meant to cradle the lamp's original brass burner mechanism.
DIMENSIONS:
- Height: Approx. 10.5 inches (to the top of the scalloped rim)
- Base Diameter: Approx. 4.5 inches
CONDITION REPORT:
This antique base is in remarkable, collector-grade condition for being well over 100 years old.
- The intricate coralene glass micro-beading remains exceptionally intact across the vibrant breast and wings, showing negligible bead loss or patchiness compared to most surviving specimens.
- The colors remain incredibly bright, rich, and unfaded.
- The glass eyes are firmly set and free of scratches.
- The delicate scalloped crown rim and the ivy-wrapped base are beautifully preserved with no major chips, structural cracks, or hairline fractures.
- The inner porcelain well is perfectly clean with no residual dark oil staining.
- Note: This listing is for the porcelain base only, as the original 19th-century brass burner hardware and glass shade are missing. It displays magnificently as a standalone luxury figurine or serves as a perfect candidate for an authentic restoration or a modern electric accent lamp conversion.
Please review all high-resolution photos carefully as they form the primary part of this condition description.
