A Pair of Chinese nodding head figures.
In the 18th century, these figures were considered to be extremely exotic and desirable in Europe.
The attraction of these figures then, and today, is in their novelty and also in the exquisite rendition.
Furthermore, each one is different and a great deal of charm lies in the expressiveness of the faces.
Any that come into the public domain today command huge prices, (a pair sold in 2020 in a sale at Doyle’s auction for $US 165,000).
The English Royal family was a long-time collector of these figures. Many remain in their palaces and also in The Royal Collection.
A large collection of examples can be seen in the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, USA.
18th century examples of Chinese nodding head figures are very rare, so Classic Chairs have produced a pair to fill that gap. They are as beautifully painted as the originals were.
The mechanism of the nodding head which was activated by passing people was a lead weight balanced on a knife edge.
Dimensions (mm): w 160 d 170 h 570
