This is another of my very rare Schafer & Vater antique smoking collectables.
It is one of a series of quirky smoking heads, strange ashtrays, and novelty match holders - that I have for sale in my online shop.
They are all very rare and hard to source and are special items for the specialist collector of early 20th-century Schafer and Vater porcelain models. There is a little light maker's star mark impressed on the base, as photographed.
This little figure is a very rare and most collectable one - reflected in my price here.
The model takes the form of a wee ashtray - you pop your cigarette in his mouth. It also functions as a decorative match holder - with pierced holes in the head where you would pop unstruck matches. I have never seen another one on the market in this form - and I am not 100% what the reference is to. The wee man has a bit of a rogueish twinkle to his eye - and a huge grinning mouth - which acts as the aperture to the ashtray area. He wears a little chocolate brown fex - with a little white pipe decoration on the side of it. He has a green jacket on - with a high colour.
It is certainly a comical figure - and wonder if it refers to an Irish character - as the title of the piece is called WHO SAID ULSTER? (as written on the front).
Height: 3 1/2 inches.. The dimension of the base is 2 1/2 inches square.
CONDITION: It is in fine vintage condition and displays well. However, he has had a little restored chip to the base and this is all but invisible. But he has had a tiny been of restoration. I have photographed this so that you can see how minor this is - and it is certainly totally invisible on display. I do not often list damaged items for sale in my store - but his wee fellow is now so rare that I have made an exception here and have reduced the price to take his wee repair into consideration.
These antique pieces of German smoking paraphernalia are now hard to find.
Displays very well. POSTAGE WOULD BE WITH UK Royal Mail Tracked - this would cost £4.95. Postal discounts would apply - any overpayment in postage would be refunded. to you.
HISTORY: The company was founded by Gustave Schaefer and Guenther Vater in Germany in 1890. By 1896 the business was so successful that they were able to expand to the List Porcelain Factory at Neuhaus.
The company aimed at producing high-quality items in hard-paste porcelain - and it made luxury items, including figurines and dolls' heads. They also produced a range of soft-paste porcelain items such as small liquor bottles which were distributed in pubs etc.
Schafer & Vater were better known for their comical and figural items. They manufactured these in teapots, jugs, creamers, bottles, match strikers, and planters, with a backstamp impressed with a crown above an 'R' in a star. 'Made in Germany' was sometimes stamped in black. Occasionally, Schafer & Vater pieces appear without any stamps or reference to their origin, but they are easy to recognize due to their characteristics and unique craftsmanship, and unusual design.
Their wonderful novelty figures were always very popular in the States - and by 1910 the American firm of Sears Roebuck & Co began to import and distribute Schafer & Vater pottery items.
In 1913 Paul Schafer had taken over from his father and, working alongside Gunther Vater, built up a successful workforce of around 200 people. In 1918 the factory was destroyed by fire and they set up a new factory to resume production.
Sadly, the firm closed in 1962 and in 1972 the East German government assumed full control of the vacant factory and their records and moulds were destroyed - so no further figures could be produced.