Faience roof rider: gable crowning, mythical creature with man standing next to it (damaged)

Collection Eduard Fuchs, acquired between 1912-1922 and in his possession until 1933; 25.10.1933 confiscation by the Gestapo; / 1937 - 1938 forced sale (payment of Reichsfluchtsteuer) by his daughter Gertraud Fuchs: Auction Auktionshaus Rudolph Lepke Berlin, catalogue 2115, p. 11 - on 15.10 and on 16.10.1937 this ridge turret was auctioned as no. 99: "FAYENCE-DACHREITER. Giebelbekrönung: Fabeltier mit daneben stehendem Mann; gelb, grün, türkis und dunkel auberginefarben glasiert. Länge 67, Höhe 43 cm, Ming (Lädiert)".

According to the annotated catalogue of the Lepke auction (Kunsthistorische Bibliothek Den Haag) bought by Walter Fritzsche (Kunsthandlung Ernst Fritzsche (Wilhelmstraße 49, Berlin W8) for 75,- RM (estimate: 150,- RM). The copy of the minutes of the auction 2115 at the Reichskammer für Bildende Künste notes in typescript "Fritzsche" and confirms the price of 75,- RM (Landesarchiv Berlin, A Rep. 243-04 Reichskammer für bildende Künste - Landesleitung Berlin). After 1939 there was a photograph by H. Grunberg of Ernst Fritzsche's shop with this ridge turret. The most important clue about the further fate of this dragon was then an offer from the Fritzsche art shop for the new East Asian Department to the National Museums in Berlin dated 5 June 1952: "At present I would have to offer: A larger roof tile of the early Ming period, depicting a dragon led by a priest, made of fired brick with glaze colours in aubergine, green and yellow. In my opinion, the brick can be dated to the first half of the Ming period, i.e. around the 15th century. The price is DM 2,000" (SMB-ZA, II/VA 806) / The offered ridge turret was purchased on 18.6.52 for the requested DM 2,000. The artwork was found at the Ethnological Museum of the State Museums of Berlin (Ident.Nr. ID 458239)

December 2024 Restitution