Burnished and polychrome painted rare terracotta figure of oriental warrior by Friedrich Goldscheider (1845- 1897). This extraordinarily figure of outstanding quality was executed in Vienna ca. in 1890. The sculptor Friedrich Goldscheider (born in Plzen, 6 Nov 1845; died in Nice, 19 Jan 1897) was Czech ceramics manufacturer. After completing his apprenticeship as a salesman at the haberdashery business of his father Moritz Goldscheider (d 1865) in Pilsen, he constructed a brickworks for the production of fireproof wares. From 1877 he became involved in the porcelain industry. After his marriage in 1873, he settled in Vienna and in 1885 established the Goldscheider´sche Porzellan-Manufaktur und Majolica-Fabrik, the success of which led to the establishment of numerous branches, including a porcelain and earthenware factory in Pilsen and a factory for painting porcelain in Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary). In 1887 the firm participated in the International Exhibition in Leipzig, where ´maiolica´ figures with thick, lead glazes were presented. Arthur Strasser, professor at the Wiener Kunstgewerbeschule, worked closely with Goldscheider, and designed numerous figures for the firm primarily in the East Asian style. At the 1888 Jubil?umsgewerbeausstellung in Vienna it was thought that Goldscheider´s polychrome works would decline in popularity, but in the same year he won a silver medal at the Exposici? Universal in Barcelona. The scale of production, however, made it necessary to divide the firm´s output between the two main centres. In Vienna terracotta and maiolica figures, busts and murals were produced, while in Carlsbad porcelain dinner-services, coffee-, tea- and demi-tasse services were manufactured. In 1891 the firm was granted the patent for decorating wares with a bronze colour. The new wares achieved great popularity especially in Paris, and in 1892 Goldscheider opened a branch there for manufacturing ´bronzed´ articles. In 1893 these were presented at the International Exhibition in Leipzig and at the World´s Colombian Exposition in Chicago. After Goldscheider´s death the firm was managed by his widow Regina Goldscheider and his brother Alois Goldscheider, and in 1953, owing to financial difficulties, it finally closed.

GOLDSCHEIDER EXHIBITIONS & PRESENTATIONS: After the large gold divorce he exhibition in Vienna museum (21.11.07 to 10.2.2008) and the presentation in the Umprum in Prague (23.6.2008) are planned the following meetings: * NEW YORK: Exhibition in the Leo Baeck Institut from 29 January to 7 April 2009; starting from 17h Vernissage and starting from 19h dia. presentation. Further information under www.lbi.org.

Literature: Dechant, Robert E / Goldscheider, Filipp "Goldscheider: Weltmarke der KeramikFirmengeschichte und Werkverzeichnis", ARNOLDSCHE Edition , Switzerland; Prof. H.Fuchs "Die Osterreichischen Maler", Vienna, 1975

Inscription: marked and inscribed in German "Reproduction vorbidden", also invent. number 1513

Technique: polychrome painted terracotta figure, the rifle - wood, metal, ivory.

Measurements: h. 22 " ( h. 56 cm)

Condition: in very good condition