Platinum lustre pottery bust of Cupid after François Duquesnoy possibly by Enoch Wood with a shaped rectangular pedestal circa 1810 - 23 cm high

A Georgian platinum lustre (silver lustre) pedestal mounted bust of Cupid after an original by François Duquesnoy (1597-1643). This lovely classical antique decorative dark bodied earthenware bust of the head and shoulders of a young boy looking down to his left has been glazed all over with a platinum glaze giving a silver lustre finish. This bust and shaped rectangular socle date to the early 19th century during the reign of King George III circa 1810.

This bust is unmarked. It could have been made by a number of makers, most probably from Staffordshire, England and possibly by Enoch Wood or Wood and Caldwell, as they made many busts with similarly shaped bases.  

The bust is in fair antique condition. The base is attached to the bust with a stud and nut. There are a old few repairs; the base has been chipped on the right hand front corner and the piece glued back into place, there is an associated stabilised crack. The front and right hand front top corner of the pedestal has been repaired, as has the bottom of the bust at the back and under the right arm, these repairs have been disguised with silver coloured paint. There is some rubbing or marking to the lustre. Please see the images. It is difficult to capture a clear image without reflections!

Approximate dimensions
Overall Height 9 inches ( 23 cm)
Depth  3 3/4 inches ( 9.5 cm)
Width 4 3/4 inches ( 12 cm)
Weight 1279 grammes unpacked

References

See lot 91 - Sotheby's  - Old Master Sculpture & Works of Art - 2 July 2019•13:30 BST London

Another version of this bronze, but cast with shoulders, is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna