Pottery Mark 'O. B.' and 5475 on Girl Figurine Carrying Pot on Her Shoulder and Fruit in a Basket

by peter daker
(london)

Pottery Mark 'O. B.' and 5475 on Girl Figurine Carrying Pot on Her Shoulder and Fruit in a Basket:- We bought this interesting figurine as part of a collection of antique glass in North West czech. The glass collection threw up some huge surprises and is being sold at auction in the new year.

However, I have hunted high and low and can not identify this figurine. if anyone can help, your advice would be appreciated. The collector we bought off stopped collecting recently and has never bought anything later than the 30's.

Thank you in advance

Peter Daker

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Pottery Mark 'O. B.' and 5475 on Girl Figurine Carrying Pot on Her Shoulder and Fruit in a Basket

Hi Peter

This looks late 19th Century to me and a very nice example of Bohemian Art Nouveau - especially the way it is nicely modelled of the period and the two-tone white and bronze colour decoration.

Wars, political conditions and frequent changes of ruling administration over the past few hundred years (since the start of china production at the end of the 18th century) have made identifying a cataloguing factories from this region very difficult.


Czech was originally part of Bohemia which was within the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the start of the ceramic producing era. Several areas within the region leant themselves to the production of fine china - notably Karlsbad or Carlsbad in Bohemia, Austria, Teplitz, Bohemia, Austria (Trnovany, Czech Republic).

Wares pre the First World War were often marked as Austria being the country of origin. Once Czechoslovakia was born, the factories might be using their Czech marks. Then they were part of Hitler's Germany, then the USSR. Factories were constantly on the edge of going out of business and being bought and sold frequently. Keeping track is a specialist business.

Certain Bohemian wares can be very collectable and highly prized, whilst others more mundane.

There are no enough clues for me to help with the identification of this maker. Let's hope someone more knowledgeable comes along.

Also, if anyone has a piece with this pottery mark let us know what you have - it all adds to the knowledge base.

Peter (admin)

p.s. The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.