For sale today I have a Saint Joseph 16 Antique Porcelain Germany RW Rudolstadt Religious Catholic Church Statue. This item is pre-owned and is in excellent condition. Based on the Rudolstadt stamp on the base of the statue the statue was made sometime between 1904 and 1924 as those are the years that particular stamp was used. The statue measures 16 inches tall, is made of porcelain and potentially some gold trimmings (stars and along the lines of the linen) and appears to be hand painted. The statue features St. Joseph sporting well manicured brown curly hair along with a matching beard. Saint Joseph is adorned with a brown undercloak that drapes him from his shoulders to his feet. The undercloak is decorated with some rounded beads, some of which have a hint of gold coloring to them. Atop the undercloak is a shawl that is a tan / beige in color. The shawl features several golden stars throughout the piece. The edges of the shawl also have some gold lining. Joseph has beautiful porcelain skin and bare feet. Joseph has two flowers that appear to be lilies on his right hand side. The base of the statue is rounded and features a cherub angel. The bottom of the base is stamped with a crown and a diamond. Above the crown reads Germany, inside the crown reads RW and below the diamond reads Rudolstadt. The RUD and L in Rudolstadt have some fading. The inner base of the statue is stamped with the number 4622. Below that is the number 25. Next to 25 is a handwritten 3. The statue measures 16 inches tall and the base measures 6.5 inches round. The statue weighs 4lbs and 8 ounces. The backstory on this item is as follows: We had a relative (my grandfather’s aunt), Sister Mary Elizabeth Jerome, who was a nun for the Catholic Church in New York State. Occasionally, the church would decommission statues and Sister Mary Elizabeth Jerome would bring them to our family. From what I can tell, this particular statue was only made for the Catholic Church, itself, and was not a traditional resale piece for the general public. Hence the inability to find another like it, despite searching online for over twenty years. This particular item was one that Sister Mary Elizabeth Jerome gifted to our family. The item is manufactured by Porzellanfabrik Rudolstadt Straus & Söhne A. A Company that was established in 1882 but who’s roots date back to 1869 when Lazarus Straus & Sons company was founded. In 1874 Lazarus’s son, Nathan, started a co-operation with R. Macy Company creating their own department shops. This would be the precursor to what we all know as Macy’s. Lazarus Straus & Sons carried out operations in several European countries: England, Austria, Czechoslovakia, France and Germany. In 1882 they started a US subsidiary New York and Rudolstadt Pottery Co. Porzellanfabrik Rudolstadt Straus & Söhne A. Was taken over by Nathan Strauss and renamed to Nathan Straus & Co. In 1930 the factory was finally closed. This particular piece was manufactured sometime between 1904 and 1924. We know this because of the RW Germany Rudolstadt marking on the base of the item. That particular marking was only used from 1904 until 1924. The history behind this piece is incredible, because it is a relic that most likely survived World War I as the piece is over 100 years old. F, romanized: Ioséph was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and Anglicanism. In Catholic traditions, Joseph is regarded as the patron saint of workers and is associated with various feast days. The month of March is dedicated to Saint Joseph. Pope Pius IX declared him to be both the patron and the protector of the Catholic Church, in addition to his patronages of the sick and of a happy death, due to the belief that he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary. Joseph has become patron of various dioceses and places. Being a patron saint of the virgins, too, he is venerated as “most chaste”. A specific veneration is tributed to the most chaste and pure heart of Saint Joseph. Several venerated images of Saint Joseph have been granted a decree of canonical coronation by a pontiff. Religious iconography often depicts him with lilies or spikenard. With the present-day growth of Mariology, the theological field of Josephology has also grown and since the 1950s centers for studying it have been formed. If anyone would like to share any additional details about this piece, please feel free to reach out. These will be digital, not physical. I took photographs from all angles, but if you need to see something additional shoot me a message and I’ll photograph it for you. This item comes from a smoke-free home and pet free home. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Religion & Spirituality\Christianity\Statues & Figures”. The seller is “toysandmusic” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Religion: Christianity
- Material: Ceramic / Porcelain
- Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany
- Handmade: No
- Modified Item: No
- Figure: Saint Joseph