This small figure group I am titling “Tailor and Gentleman” was made by a Russian Private Factory in the early to mid 19th century. My gut says Gardner but could be other. Unmarked. 8.4 cm in height.
I find this figure very interesting. On the surface it is a tailor plying his trade. We see him in the act of adjusting the gentleman’s tie. The gentleman leans against a saw horse like piece of furniture, possibly a fixture of the tailor’s shop. Bundles of soft cloth, pinched by the cords that tie them, lie next to fabric shears on the wooden floor. The wooden floor itself has been painted with sprigs of flowers in the corners. Probably a custom of the day. The elements come together to describe a time and place long past and yet still familiar.
One could go about researching this figure a number of ways. Obviously you would want to research related works. That is always the main focus. You could also look into the history of painted wooden floors to see if that gave any answers as to the where and when. You could see if there are other examples of the tailor’s sawhorse or whether this is just some potter’s invention. You could look into clothing and beard styles to see if it gives you any insight into who these people were. I already have a couple ideas but want to see if I can back them up first. You could look for print sources of the subject. These little figures can be the key to a whole wealth of information, history and knowledge if you study them closely. I look forward to exploring these research avenues when I have the time.
This figure would have been part of a larger series of tradesmen and craftsmen, popular subjects in Russian porcelain. I have a few more miniature tradesmen left to post. I am sure there are others still, as yet undiscovered, waiting to be found.
