The Cryes of London are a group of 16 figures of street traders, of which eight are male and eight are female. They were almost certainly modeled by J.J. Kändler and/or Peter Reinicke between 1750 and 1755. Unfortunately, the lack of contemporary documentation in the Meissen archives makes a firm attribution to the modeler impossible. However, the variations in size and differences in modeling would suggest that both J.J. Kändler and P. Reinicke were involved in series. The figures are modeled after engravings from the series The Cryes of the City of London Drawne after the Life by Marcellus Laroon II. Laroon was a Dutch painter who was a friend and contemporary of Hogarth.

Several editions of Laroon’s The Cryes were produced from 1687 onwards, with the engravings arranged in pairs alternating between men and women. The Meissen figures from this series were also produced in pairs, although they do not follow Laroon's groupings. It seems likely that they were intended to form a series, due to the presence of incised or impressed numerals on the underside of some of the early models which give an indication of the pairings within the group.

For a detailed discussion of Meissen’s production of these charming character figures and a scientific analysis of their physical and decorative make-up, see V. Sigalas & M. Chilton, All Walks of Life, A Journey with The Alan Shimmerman Collection, Stuttgart, 2022. A similar figure to the cucumber seller in the present lot can be found on p. 244.

See also Y. Adams, op. cit., p. 45, nos. 101-103 for these models and their corresponding drawings by Laroon. Compare also S. Shesgreen, ed., The Criers and Hawkers of London, Engravings and Drawings by Marcellus Laroon, Standford, 1990, pp. 192-195, no. 59 (‘Delicate Cowcumbers to pickle’) and no. 60 (‘Any Bakeing Peares’).