A pair of Meissen Figures of Pied Wagtails circa 1740

modelled by J. G. Kirchner and J. G. Ehder, the black heads with a dramatic broad white stripe, the plumage in broad patches of grey and black, each perched on a tree stump picked out in brown and applied with leaves in green, inventory numbers '11' in black (some restoration)

Hermann Ball and Paul Graupe, Berlin, 15th March 1933, lot 32
Olive, Lady Baillie, Lowndes House, London (dining room), acquired from Maison Jansen, Paris, 29th June 1937

(one tail restored, minor repairs to one beak, small chips and losses to applied flowers and leaves)
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

See the note to the preceding lot.

This is a slightly smaller version of the Pied Wagtail modelled in 1733 by Kirchner for the Japanese Palace. Albiker (1935), no. 33, notes that the work records for 1740 show Ehder working on a model of the wagtail, and it seems likely that this smaller version was the model being prepared.