Victorian Porcelain Doll's Head and Body Group

Representing the Hodegetria, with Mary indicating towards Jesus with her right hand, holding him with her left hand; on the right, a small image of Saint Tekla with veiled head and a long tunica talaris, holding a holy book; the cover set with pearls and semi-precious stones; dedicatory inscription plate in Cyrillic; inscriptions in Greek on the wooden background 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' for 'Mother of God', 'IC XC' for 'Jesus Christ'; over the small image of Saint Tekla Greek inscription 'Ο AΓIA TEKLA'; tempera on wood. 650 grams, 23 x 19.5 cm



Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The icon, probably Greek in origin and later covered with beat work in Russia, shows the Virgin in the attitude of Mother of Consolation, or in that of Hodegetria. This is the iconographical type of Virgin Mary one encounters most frequently in an Eastern Orthodox church or home, Hodegetria meaning 'Mother of God Pointing the Way'. The Virgin Mary is shown with the Christ on her lap, her eyes looking at the viewer and her right hand indicating Christ, seeming to say 'Follow Him'. Later icons of the Hodegetria were adorned with gilt-silver covers and jewels like this one.

With expanding shoulders, scrolled outline to the plaque, hinged folding tube below the central panel. 7.49 grams, 22.28 mm overall, 18.87 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N 1/2, USA 6 3/4, Europe 14.35, Japan 13)



From the private collection of N.Thomas, 1979-1987. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12481-229481. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Including tabular, cylindrical, fusiform and other types. 83 grams total, 4-23 mm



Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.