KesterTester78 - Updated with extra clues & results!
Photo: This chappie, despite apparently being stuck in a housing estate, doesn't care.
First, apologies for a lack of posts this week, I've had time-consuming computer problems, although there has been an update to KT77, in case you haven't noticed.
I think this jolly fellow, along with his location, are both rather neglected by many in his home city, considering the importance of this place in the development of the business he's concerned with - maybe not with the locals, but certainly by the foreign ex-patriate population.
So, where might you see him?
I'll try to post more clues next week (I think they'll be needed), but if you think you've got it, please send an email or use the site messaging system, and put KT78 in the message, please.
I'll try to post the winners of KT75 over the weekend, but I'm travelling, so I might not make it in this heat. Apologies in advance.
Have a good weekend!
ADDITIONAL CLUES: This statue is associated with an energetic, rather innovative Hungarian who resided in France for a number of years before returning to Hungary to ply his trade. Sadly, he died of appendicitis in a country neighbouring France.
Whatever, he founded a thriving business for the last 25 years of his life, a business which still bears his name today - a name which almost every Magyar and a good few ex-patriates would recognise.
This is despite the ravages of wars (it's premises were suffered bomb damage in WW2, albeit almost certainly unintended), then pillaging by Soviet soldiers followed by nationalistation.
The figure represented by the statue is supposed (at least according to legend) to have visited India to ply his trade.
UPDATE: Yet another Clue
We seem to have another toughie this week, so I shall have to soften my heart to blancmange consistency and offer you all a way out.
First of all, please read the question carefully (or you are unlikely to get the right answer :))
And, just to clarify, the statue pictured represents someone else, not this person, though of course, there is a link.
And here's the biggest clue you'll ever get: the central figure of this whole story was recorded as the car driver involved in Hungary's first road accident with a motor vehicle. (fortunately, the person hit was not badly injured).
ps I've tried googling that in English and Hungarian, and I couldn't get the right answer.
Good luck!
UPDATE - The Results!
KT78 has proved a tough one, in spite of my generous clue-giving.
But not for the first time, Hubert “Poirot” Warsmann was quick off the mark.
“That's the Bacchus statue in the courtyard of Torley Winery in Budafok. It is amusing that a German from Vojvodina (original family name was Schmierl and Jozsef's father changed it to Torlei) was inducted to champagne in a house originally called Dubois Pere et Fils that later changed its name to the German sounding Roederer. Pity that the modern product only has a passing acquaintance with its original model.”
Not quite sure to which modern product the last sentence applies, Hubert, but onwards we must go.
Csilla Davalovszky was hot on Hubert's heels.
“This is just a guess, but the “chappie” in the picture can be József TÖRLEY, founder of the champagne brand? In case it’s him, I’ll tell you what made me think of him… So I asked her – to whit. “I thought of József Törley because of three reasons (I admit that my first guess was rather intuitive, though): 1) the person must have something to do with the beverage industry as his statue is holding a pint glass; 2) Törley (and that was something I investigated) opened a champagne factory in Reims (France), which he moved to Budafok in 1882 and 3) he died of appendicitis in Oostende (Belgium), a country neighbouring France. Those facts can be just a coincidence...And to tell the truth, I don't know anything at all about Törley's Indian connections.” Anyway, lacking any more responses, my already great, warm, open heart opened up even further, and I gave such generous clues as to elicit the following: :)
Tom Chilton replied, brusquely: “The answer is Törley József. (I Googled "első autóbaleset magyarországon") The statue is of Dionysius. I guessed this earlier and I suppose I could have made the link with Törley.” Except you didn't, Tom. Shame on you! In swooped even brusquer Zsolt Maroti: “The man is certainly József Törley and the place is Budafok?” And later, Csilla Davalovszky came back with: “Dear Kester, your latest hint on the blog has convinced me more than ever that "our chappie" is József Törley :-) I definitely need another holiday to develop my skills as a sleuth hahaha.” I wish you another holiday, Csilla – and soon, but where does that leave me? My problem is, you see, that strictly speaking, only two of you have provided the correct answer – in spite of my gentle guidance to answer the correct question – which is – WHERE is this statue? But not wanting to be pendantic, I have decided to give two numbers in the draw to those who have provided the strictly correct answer, and just one number for those who kind of solved the puzzle, but not answered correctly. So, Hubert “Poirot” Warsmann is 1 & 2, and Zsolt Maroti is 3 & 4, and Tom Chilton is 5 and Csilla is 6. I shall do the draw now, using the EU-approved, Black Woolly hat. (at 19.52). And the answer, at 19.54 is …. number 6, … Csilla Davalovszky …. prepare yourself for global celebrity status and buying me two cervaezas !!!!!!!!! OK, sorry for the difficulties on this one. The answer is the original Törley Winery in Budafok. But the statue is not of József Törley himself (that would have been too easy, I thought) but of a hedonistic Bacchus (or Dionysius, as Tom C wrote), who is actually cavorting, naked, with two (naked) women in the sculpture – not that they seem to be interested in one another, they are more celebrating the grape and its produce. Here is a photo of the statue to József Törley himself, which is 30 metres from the Bacchus boozer group.
So, congratulations to Ms Davalovszky and all who had a go at this.
I've just done a story on the Törley Winery Musuem visit - I'll put in a link when it goes up (next weekend, I think) but I must say, even though I'm not a big fan of sparkling wines, it is a very interesting museum that is well worth a visit. Here's the link, it's just gone online this weekend (16/0722).
https://bbj.hu/budapest/travel/tourism/toerley-to-commemorate-140-years-of-bubbly-in-budafok
Now, please take a look at KesterTester79 - I have added several more clues on two different dates that I'm sure super sleuths in here don't even need. In fact, they don't even need more holiday to get this one.
And don't forget the words of historical wisdom from Gyula Horn - insights from his point of view on what happened, among other times, post 1956.
Have a great week! Kester