A Hochst porcelain white group of Fangespiel (Playing Tag), c.1770, blue wheel mark, incised mark, modelled by J.P. Melchior, with a young girl and a young boy playing tag, on a grassy rocky mound base, 14.6 cm. high Provenance: Works of Art from...

A Hochst porcelain white group of Fangespiel (Playing Tag), c.1770, blue wheel mark, incised mark, modelled by J.P. Melchior, with a young girl and a young boy playing tag, on a grassy rocky mound base, 14.6 cm. high Provenance: Works of Art from the Schroder Collection. Note: A decorated example is illustrated by Horst Reber, “Hochster Porzellan des 18. Jahrhunderts aus Privatbesitz”, Jahrhunderthalle Hoechst December 1984 – January 1985 Exhibition Catalogue, Frankfurt, 1984, p. 108.
Overall, the condition of this group is very good, and there are only very minor issues. There is a small chip to the corner of her apron, a minute chip to the hem of his jacket, and there is a minute chip to the ribbon on her hat. In addition, there is a dark spot to his left cheek which dates from the time of manufacture, and this mark is almost certainly the reason why the group was left undecorated in the 18th century (as this couldn’t be covered up by decoration). A restorer could easily retouch this mark, so that it is no longer visible.