I have a pair of figurines , a Boy and Girl in formal attire leaning on large Grecian urns. They are 8 1/2 and 9 inches tall, in new condition. They were my grandparents and were bought in England in the 1950s or earlier.
They have Heubach (G,H) marks, incised, very faint. Only the letters show up, not the rest of the sunburst design. They have the numbers 11762 and DED. The boy is stamped GERMANY.
They have detailed backs, but are not painted in the backs. Only the fronts are painted and they are very detailed with the paint in perfect condition. It seems odd to me that there are only partial marks and the backs are not painted, but they are exquisite. Any information or guesses on them would be appreciated.
Jon
These items are not [i]Heubach[/i], nor related. They were made by [b]Porzellanfabrik Unger, Schneider & Cie.[/b] from the town of Gräfenthal in Thuringia, see here:
[url]http://www.porcelainmarksandmore.com/germany/thuringia/graefenthal-03/index.php[/url]
The number you see (“11762”) is the item number. Mantelpiece sets were often only decorated on the front side, unlike table centerpieces or other 360 degree placable ornaments. This made them cheaper to produce; some mantelpiece sets don’t have a fully developed rear at all (the back is far less detailed or was left completely flat).
Hold in mind that [b]Porzellanfabrik Unger, Schneider & Cie.[/b] items were later reproduced 1:1 by their legal successor, the East German [i]VEB Porzellanfiguren Gräfenthal[/i], hence only a “hands-on” check by an expert/dealer/collector may tell if it’s an old set or a newer recast.
