A good Minton Parian figure of Prince Alfred and pony

An attractive large Minton Parian figure and a fine display piece of the young Prince Alfred in Scottish Highland dress with his pony, from the bronze by the Italian French sculptor Baron Marochetti.  Incised on the figure is “Published by Minton & Co HRH Prince Alfred”. “Minton” under base.  Height 41.5cm (16⅓“) . Base 40cm (15¾”) wide.

Marochetti is perhaps best known for his equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart outside the Palace of Westminster.

Prince Alfred was the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert. He was created Duke of Edinburgh in 1866 before succeeding his father’s brother Ernest II in 1893 as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in the German Empire. 

The original bronze and a Parian copy were both owned by Queen Victoria and can still be seen as part of the Queen’s Collection in Queen Victoria’s house, Osbourne House, on the Isle of Wight. 

This figure is illustrated on page 85 of The Parian Phenomenon, fig 132. The Parian Phenomenon also has a picture of the original bronze on page 43 and Queen Victoria’s Parian copy on the mantelpiece of her Drawing Room at Osbourne House on page 44.I

Condition  The figure is in generally good condition. The prince’s head has been broken off and well-restored. Some light staining on the pony’s flank has been over sprayed. There are firing cracks at the top of the boy’s legs under the kilt (not visible to normal view) and a firing line across the right shoe. Some surface marks at the bottom rear.  This was a large and complex piece to manufacture, and such firing faults are frequently seen in such pieces.  Please see photographs.