A rare pair of Meissen models of South American Parrots, modelled by Johann Joachim Kaendler each perched on white tree stumps looking to one side.  The greem Amazon Parrot naturalistically painted with green and puce detailing to its plumage and with red wing tips and tail.  The tree stump issuing a tuquoise leafy branch.  The Amazon Grey Parrot typically coloured in tones of grey and black, its plumage highly defined, its tail and underside of its wings in red.  Turquoise leaves are applied around the tree stump, a fruiting branch with red berries and a cluster of toadstools.  

Parrots were highly prized for their exoticism and rarity in the eighteenth century and were a source of inspiration at Meissen. Porcelain figures of parrots were modelled by Johann Joachim Kaendler after live examples kept in the royal aviary of Augustus the Strong at Schloss Moritzburg. Produced in varying sizes, parrots were displayed on gilt wood brackets in the Japanese Palace. Additionally, they were made in such a way so that they could be mounted by merchand mercier based in Paris, such as Jean-Charles Huet. Kaendler’s work records from May-October 1740 mentions ‘1: Einen Pappagoy in Thon poußiret große Sorte Vor Mons. Huet. Daß solcher gegen den ehemals Von mir gefertigeten Pappagoy siehet’. [Modelled a large parrot in clay for Mons. Huet. That this one is looking against the former model completed by me.]
See a similar mounted pair forming candelabras formerly in the Baron Mathilde von Rothschild collection in the Cleveland Museum of Art (1938.305.1.a & 1938.305.2.a)

Marks:   Blue crossed swords marks in underglaze blue to the underside of the base, the Amazon grey with pressnummer 45