Zaphir by Lladró | ‘Making a Wish’ | Matte Porcelain Figure | Spain, c. 1980

Zaphir by Lladró | ‘Making a Wish’ | Matte Porcelain Figure | Spain, c. 1980

A wish asks nothing of the world but a moment’s stillness, and she has found hers beside the water.

Zaphir formed part of the Lladró family’s Spanish porcelain production, succeeding the earlier Rosal name in 1975 before the introduction of NAO in 1982. Its figures share the elongated forms, delicate modelling and softly coloured finishes associated with Spanish porcelain of the period. This model, ‘Making a Wish’, belongs to the Zaphir collection and was retired in 1982.

A young woman leans on a stone fountain. She holds a small posy to her chest with one hand, and her other forearm rests on top of the pillar, hand lifted. A white bird rests beside her on the stonework, and below the spout a two-handled jug stands waiting on a ledge. She wears a pale blue bodice and a long white skirt, its hem painted with a border of pink flowers, green leaves and gilt-brown scrolls above a blue band. The rocky base is modelled with grasses and small flowers. The whole figure is in matte, unglazed-look porcelain. The underside carries the green printed Zaphir “Made in Spain” mark.

Excellent condition, with no chips, cracks or restoration. There are minor grey marks on the unglazed underside rim, from contact with surfaces over time.

Key Details

• Maker: Zaphir (Lladró)
• Model: ‘Making a Wish’, catalogue number 623M/G (number not marked on this example); retired 1982
• Material: matte porcelain
• Origin: Spain
• Period: late 1970s – early 1980s
• Marks: green printed “Zaphir, Made in Spain”
• Height: 37 cm
• Weight: 1,587 g
• Condition: excellent
• Buyer profile: collectors of Lladró and Spanish porcelain, and anyone looking for a substantial figurine for display

Collector Appeal

Zaphir figures hold a particular interest for collectors tracing the development of Lladró’s wider porcelain collections. ‘Making a Wish’ is a substantial and carefully composed example, with the bird, posy, jug handles and outstretched fingers all intact. Those delicate details carry much of the figure’s quality, which makes her excellent condition all the more worth having.

Every wish is a small act of faith in the future, made quietly, in the present.