Collection French Terra Cotta Soldiers of WWI in Original Costumes and Accessories

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Live Auction

13" (33 cm.) Each has terra cotta sculpted head with painted complexion, facial features and hair, some with beards and moustaches, armature wrapped body, and mounted on wooden base and ink script labeled indicating the nation and regiment depicted, as well as date 1917. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: the figures were originally exhibited at the Musee de la Guerre in Vinvennes, France in 1934 commemorating the 20th anniversary of the beginning of WWI, and each represents a soldier from the WWI Allied Forces including Japanese infantry, French Foreign Legion, Serbian Infantry, French Sailor, Hindu, Canadian, and Portugese. An article about the soldiers appeared in the French magazine L'Illustration in 1934. Value Points: well-preserved figures with extraordinary detail of uniforms and accessories.