Antique WW1 Austro Hungarian K.u.K. Mountain Rifles Soldier Figurine 1915 modelled Kadett A Bechtold Altrohlau Porcelain Tirol Jager troopen Division

An antique First World War slip cast white porcelain figurine of an Austrian Hungarian Mountain Rifles soldier crawling on hands and knees whilst holding his rifle with his bayonet attached. At the back of the figurine the base is marked with the sculptors monogram AB with the date 1915. 

The front has an "impressed" mark cast into it, with the Austrian double headed eagle, and the text "J.T.D Pustertal modellieret v. Kadett A.Bechtold, Eigentumsrecht vorbehalten". Which translates as J.T.D. Pustertal modeled by Kadett A.Bechtold proprietary rights reserved". 

We think that JTD stands Jäger Truppen Division or Hunter Troops Division. Pustertal is one of the largest longitudinal valleys in the Alps that runs in an east-west direction between Lienz in East Tyrol, Austria, and Mühlbach near Brixen in South Tyrol, Italy. Pustertal was part of the Italian Front or Alpine Front of the First World War (WW1).

We have seen a similar piece but, with the same soldier in a different position, previously listed on the internet as K.u.K Porzellan Figur Tirol Pustertal Kaiserjäger Sturmtrupp Bechtold 1916.

K.u.K. is the abbreviation for Kaiserlich und Königliche Armee or "Imperial and Royal Army" also known as The Austro-Hungarian Army (Landstreitkräfte Österreich-Ungarns).

The sculptor of this piece named Kadett (officer cadet) A Bechtold may possibly be the same sculptor or architect from Bregenz in Austria who designed the WW1 military cemetery at "Kühbergl", a wooded hill to the south of the town of Bruneck or Brunico in the South Tyrol in Italy.

We think that the maker may be C.M. Hutschenreuther of the Altrohlau porcelain factory in Carlsbad in Bohemia, who were known to use a double headed eagle mark similar to the one on the front of this model. Altrohlau is now known as Stara Role (Stará Role) and is in the northwestern edge of the city of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic or Czechia.

The figurine measures 8 7/16 inches  ( 21 .5 cm) long, 5 1/8 inches (13 cm) wide, 3 3/16 inches ( 8.1 cm) high and weighs 398 grammes unpacked.

The figurine is in good antique condition however, there is a stabilised crack to the base and a filled and disguised chip to the front under the inscription. It still displays well and is a rare and highly collectable item of WW1 German or Austro-Hungarian militaria,and a very unusual antique porcelain figurine. Please see the images.

References wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Army