A Chelsea monkey band figure of the organist, circa 1760
Set on an oval shaped scroll-edged base, applied with colourful leaves and flowers, the scrolls picked out in gold, wearing a long wig, puce coat, a waistcoat with gilt decoration and green breeches with gold bows, seated on the back of a monkey bearing an organ with a musical score on top, 16cm high (minor restoration)
Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000, $ 6,500 - 9,800 Footnote:
The source for this model is the set of Monkey Band figures modelled by Kändler at Meissen, circa 1749-55, and Kändler in turn may have been inspired by the murals designed by Christophe Huet circa 1740 for the Prince de Condé at the chateau de Chantilly. They were rarely copied by the English factories in the 18th century, although some are known in Chelsea, Derby and Bow. A group of ten earlier red anchor Chelsea models from the series are at Colonial Williamsburg, see Austin (1977), nos 121-129. A pair of gold anchor Chelsea monkey band musicians painted in the same palette was sold in these rooms in the Dr Peter Bradshaw collection, 24 January 2007, lot 2. The only other gold anchor example known is a trumpet player in a private collection. For comparison with a Red Anchor period example, from the Irwin Untermyer collection see Hackenbroch (1957) pl.28, p.62
