Very Rare Figure of a Lady Musician c1770-80

A very rare Lowestoft porcelain figure of a lady musician playing a lute c1770-80.

The figure measures 6cm in diameter across the base and stands 18.7cm tall.

Professional restoration to her left arm and lute. Slight losses to the flower leaves and the ribbons to her shoes.

Unmarked.

This figure has been left in plain white porcelain. These rare figures can also be found decorated in polychrome.

Moulds for part of the upper body and head and of the left arm of this figure were found on the factory site. See Geoffrey Godden (1985), plates 182 and 183, pg 142. A similar figure with a high footed base is illustrated at plate 175, pg 138. Godden identifies two distinct but related groups of figures, attributable to Lowestoft. This figure belongs to the group which he speculates could be the earlier of the two. See Lowestoft in the Norwich Castle Museum for more examples.

A similar figure was sold in Zoe Sprake’s sale of Lowestoft porcelain, lot 90. This figure was purchased by the Oulton Broad Museum and is on display there.