web cat nov 2015 - antique porcelaincat+nov+2015 sm.pdf · memorated with pride their life in the...

STOCKSPRING ANTIQUES

EXHIBITION and SALE

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS& NOTEWORTHY ACQUISITIONS

16th - 21st November 2015

STOCKSPRING ANTIQUES

Exhibition and Sale

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

and

NOTEWORTHY ACQUISITIONS

16th - 21st November 2015

114 Kensington Church Street,London W8 4BH

Tel. & Fax: 0207 727 7995Email: [email protected]

www.antique-porcelain.co.uk

ForewordCollecting ceramics gives us intriguing windows into the past with eachpiece resonating with the life, times, hopes and aspirations of its originalowner.

This is strikingly brought home to us by the portrait plaque of PrincessCharlotte, only legitimate grandchild of George III and embodiment of thefuture of the House of Hanover. Her death in 1817 at the age of 21 causedimmense national grief and anxiety. This plaque, painted in Paris the fol-lowing year by the porcelain factory of the Duc d’Orleans, himself nostranger to political turmoil, is a testament to her importance, and the re-gard and esteem in which she was held.

The other end of the social hierarchy is reflected in the William and GraceMatthews, spinner and wool comber mug. Two skilled artisans who com-memorated with pride their life in the flourishing English textile trade.

Europe’s on-going fascination with the East is shown by the popularity ofthe Kakiemon style which so complemented Rococo sensibility. The Chant-illy pieces with charming oriental boys playing and the Chelsea dish whichis an accurate copy of a Japanese original allowed their owners to be trans-ported to an imaginative world far from the reality of their daily lives.

The Rococo’s charm is shown on the pair of Vauxhall vases decorated byJames Giles with children dancing and making music. They are scenes in-spired by the fêtes galantes of Watteau - dreamlike idylls of aristocrats atleisure, but here given the vitality and gaiety of children.

Of enduring popularity over the centuries, as much for their wit as theirmessage, are the Fables of Aesop and the Chelsea candlesticks illustrate apair of these with verve and humour. The Doccia bear defending her cubshowever has an emotional depth redolent of the earlier Baroque age.

Highly important are the two Derby Birds on Branches, one dated 1751,which give a vivid insight into the experimental processes of the early Eng-lish porcelain pioneers through their trialling of different bodies and glazes.

Amongst the very earliest centres of porcelain experimentation was Lime-house. We are still discovering examples from this short-lived factory, andthe cup here is previously unrecorded. The quality of the paste, potting andblue and white decoration are remarkable for such an early piece.

Ceramics are the window to our past - enjoy the view!

Antonia Agnew and Felicity Marno, London, November 2015

Noteworthy Acquisitions


1. A Lefebvre Paris Portrait Plaque of Princess CharlotteHt: 63 x 45 cm (in frame), 30 x 20.5 cm (unframed) c. 1818Marks: front, Lefebvre F.cant de Porcelaines. Rue Amelot No. 64. A Paris.Inscribed on back, Manufacture de Porcelaines de Monsieur le Ducd’Orleans, tenue par J.ques Lefebvre. Rue Amelot No. 64, au pont auxchoux A Paris.

A portrait of Princess Charlotte dressed in a white silk gown and erminelined purple robe, beside a plinth on which the crown rests on a velvetcushion, a green swagged curtain behind her, a view of Westminster Ab-bey in the distance; in an elaborate carved giltwood frame with coronet.

Provenance: the 5th Marquis of Downshire, Hillsborough Castle.Exhibited: Loan Museum of Art Treasures, Dublin Industrial Exhibition1872, no. 1160 (label affixed to frame).

The ultimate source for this portrait is a painting by Charlotte Jones, minia-ture painter to Princess Charlotte who exhibited portraits of her at the Roy-al Academy in 1808, 1812, 1816 and 1819. Jones also painted her portraitin 1814 which was engraved by John Samuel Agar the same year, and it isfrom this version that this plaque was copied (print included).

There is a very similar ivory miniature in the Royal Collection, RCIN421470, identical except that the view is of rolling countryside rather thanthe Abbey, and the treatment of her robe is slightly different.

The Duc d’Orleans was living in exile at Twickenham in 1814. PrincessCharlotte lived at Cranborne near Windsor and as they moved in the sameRoyal circles and the Duc was a personal friend of the Prince Regent, theyknew each other well. He returned to France in 1817 and in 1818 becamepatron of the porcelain factory in the Rue Amelot which belonged toJacques Lefebvre. Lefebvre sold the business later that year, so this plaquecan be precisely dated.

Princess Charlotte, the heir to the throne after the Prince Regent, marriedPrince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld in 1816. She died in childbirth in1817, an event which caused an immense national outpouring of grief asevinced by the number of posthumous images of her. The Duc d’Orleanspossibly took the Agar print of her to Paris and commissioned the plaquefrom his factory as a memento. His daughter later married Prince Leopold,and after his second exile he lived at Claremont, the house given to Char-lotte and Leopold by the Prince Regent, where he died in 1850.


Inscription on the reverse of the plaque

Her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte of Wales, engraving byJohn Samuel Agar after Charlotte Jones, 1814.

Private Collections

2. An Exceptionally Rare Limehouse CupHt: 6 cm c. 1746-48Of thirteen flutes, with a loop handle with a small thumbrest and kick tothe lower terminal, painted with a stylised Oriental flowering plant, the in-ner rim border with a budding vine with prunus flower heads.

Ref: ECC and Museum of London, Limehouse Ware Revealed, pl. 59 for ashard from the site with closely related decoration by the same hand.The Crane Collection, Bonhams, March 2010, for a polychrome fluted cuplacking its handle.R. Wise Sharp, Porcelain to Light Up a House, no. 603 for a creamboatwith an identical border and handle; nos. 1 and 2 for ‘A-Marked’ cups.

This is a previously unrecorded design and the only known complete cup ofthis form. It has a low, brownish translucency indicative of the earlierphase of the factory’s production, as does the slight speckling evident inthe glaze. The potting and paste, considering the date, are very proficient.

It is interesting to compare the form with that of ‘A-Marked’ cups whichare very similar. Both are fluted, although the A-Marked cups have twentyone flutes and a less flared rim. They have a dis-tinct foot rim which is absent in the Limehouse ver-sion. Both the thumbrest and terminal kick are alsofound on ‘A-Marked’ cups.

This is the third cup form to be discovered forLimehouse.


3. A Chelsea DishDiam: 24 cm c. 1750 -52A dish of scalloped shape after a Japanese form found on both Kakiemonand Imari wares and decorated with vibrant enamels with the Lady in a Pa-vilion pattern.

Ref: O. Impey, C. Jörg, C. Mason, Dragons, Tigers and Bamboo, p. 117,fig.70 for the Japanese version;F. Severne MacKenna, Chelsea Porcelain The Triangle and Raised AnchorWares, pl. 21, no. 47 for the Chelsea example.

The design was taken from a Japanese Arita original of c. 1690-1710 andhas no Meissen counterpart although Dutch decorated Chinese, Chantillyand Bow examples are known. In the Chelsea sale catalogues of 1755 it isreferred to as the “Lady pattern” and in the 1756 catalogue as the “old Ja-pan lady pattern” The Japanese called it the Lady in a Garden, perhaps amore accurate description of the scene which depicts a lonely aristocraticlady yearning for her absent suitor accompanied only by caged birds, apopular subject found in earlier Japanese Yamato-e and Tosa paintings.


4. A Pair of Chelsea Soup PlatesDiam: 22 cm c. 1752 -54Mark: red anchorThe octagonal soup plates with a diaper moulded border and shield-shapedreserves at each angle. They are decorated in Kakiemon enamels with aversion of the banded hedge and prunus design with a startled phoenix inflight to the left and alternating floral sprays and butterflies in the reserveson the border within a brown rim.

Provenance: F. Severne MacKenna

Ref: F. Severne MacKenna, The F. S. Mackenna Collection of English Por-celain, Part 1, Chelsea, p. 94, nos 43/44.O. Impey, C. Jörg, C. Mason , op. cit., fig. 131 for the same shape with adifferent version of the banded hedge and phoenix.

One (on the right in the image) is illustrated by F. Severne MacKenna inChelsea Porcelain the Red Anchor Wares, no 8 where he notes that theshape is found on raised anchor wares and these dishes should be consid-ered as transitional examples.


5. A Chelsea Plate with Hans Sloane DecorationDiam: 21 cm c. 1755-57Mark: red anchorA plate with wavy brown-edged rim painted with an Anthemis, some of theflower structures, a caterpillar and a butterfly.

Ref: S. Kevill-Davies, Sir Hans Sloane’s Plantson Chelsea Porcelain, pp. 82-3 for an example inthe Royal Collection (RCIN 102349.3).

The source of this design is Philip Miller’s Figuresof Plants, Vol 1, pl. XXXVIII. This plate followsthe engraving very closely.

Miller reported in his Gardeners Dictionary, “theroots are used for the toothache, being extremelywarm; when they are applied to the part affectedthey draw out the cold rheum”.


6. A Bow Botanical PlateDiam: 23 cm c. 1761-2A large plate with a wavy edge painted in vibrant enamels with a leafybranch with a large quince and scattered butterflies and insects, within adark brown line rim.

Ref: Y. Hackenbroch, Chelsea and other English Porcelain, Pottery andEnamel in the Irwin Untermyer Collection, pl 94; A. Gabszewicz, TheFreeman Collection. no 154; A. Gabszewicz, Made at New Canton , Bowporcelain from the Collection of the London Borough of Newham, no 62.

Painted after the botanical “Hans Sloane” style of Chelsea of the 1750’sthis particular hand, who favoured painting fruit, can be seen on the Johnand Elizabeth Roberts bowl dated 1761 depicting a lemon and two otherfruits in the Irwin Untermyer Collection; the Mr John Chapman bowl dated1762 with a branch with two peaches and similar butterflies and insects inthe Freeman Collection and a large basin painted with a branch with twoapples and again similar butterflies and insects in the Newham Collectionof Bow Porcelain.

Private Collections

Reverse

Private Collections

7. A Pair of Vauxhall VasesHt: 12.7 cm c. 1764-68Mark: a ‘G’ in under-glaze blue on one vase.Decorated in the atelier of James Giles with richly dressed European chil-dren masquerading as adults after Watteau, in wooded landscapes withinpanels, reserved against a blue ground, decorated with flower sprays inciselé gilding.

Provenance: Anthony Wood Collection;Stephen Hanscombe Collection.

Exhibited and Illustrated: (1) 1999 International Ceramics Fair Loan Exhi-bition, no. 87;(2) James Giles, China and Glass Painter, Stockspring Antiques, no.89,2005;(3) The Ceramics of Vauxhall, ECC, no. 29, 2007;(4) The Early James Giles and his Contemporary London Decorators,Stockspring Antiques, no. 124, 2008.

The vases are a superb late product of the Vauxhall factory, the gilding andpainting by James Giles are of consummate quality. A closely related set isin the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1988.794).

These vases depict children beautifully dressed in silks, ruffs. cloaks andplumed hats dancing or playing musical instruments. The scenes echoWatteau’s paintings of the fête galante, with the beau monde whiling awayits time in courtly pastimes, untroubled by the cares of everyday life.

Watteau’s work was one of the inspirations for the development of theRococo style with its love of lightness and informality and was a contrast tothe more severe Baroque which it succeeded. People became more senti-mental about children and artists such as Boucher and Gravelot publishedpopular series of prints of children at play. This pair of vases stronglyreflects the Rococo love of gaiety and pleasure and is made charming byportraying children enjoying themselves dancing and making music asminiature adults.

The boy playing a guitar is also found on a Worcester dish by Giles in theAshmolean Museum, and these scenes probably came from prints.

The form is from the Vincennes vase à oreilles, introduced in 1754.

Private Collections

8. A Chinese Bowl decorated in London possibly by James GilesDiam:14.2 cm c. 1758-63 (decoration)Pencilled in black with a green wash with Chinese figures in a fancifullandscape.Provenance: the Crane Collection

Ref: S. Hanscombe, James Giles, China and Glass Painter, no. 122 for asugar bowl with this decoration, probably from the same service, attributedto Giles by Bernard Watney;S. Hanscombe, The Early James Giles, nos 145 and 146 for similarly deco-rated pieces.

The chinoiserie scenes are inspired by Jean Pillement.

9. A Chinese Bowl decorated in London by James GilesDiam: 14.5 cm c. 1758-63 (decoration)The front with a landscape pencilled in black with a green wash with a Eu-ropean tower and other buildings, within a scalloped red and black line bor-der; the reverse with two butterflies in enamels; traces of Grubbe plate 1type gilding inside the rim.Provenance: Stephen Hanscombe CollectionExh: The Early James Giles, Stockspring Antiques, no. 149, 2008.

Ref: S. Hanscombe, ibid., no. 149 shown with a similarly decoratedWorcester mug.

Private Collections

10. A Worcester CupHt: 6.1 cm c. 1754-56Straight sided with a loop handle decorated in sepia with a Smokey Primi-tive type print of the Fortune Teller, an old lady with a child on her backreading the palms of two fashionably dressed ladies, with a boy on the leftbeside a duck pond.

Provenance: William A. Gurling Collection

11. A Worcester CupHt: 6.3 cm c. 1775-78Of plain form with a loop handle decorated with a print of Battledore andShuttlecock, two boys at play watched by a seated girl; the reverse withBlind Man’s Buff, two girls and a boy playing together.

Provenance: Norman Stretton Collection

Ill: ECC Transactions, Vol. 12 pt. 1, pl 30b

These are very rare versions of the prints.


12. A Worcester Butter Tub and StandDiam: 15.5 cm, stand: 11.5 cm, tub. c. 1770Mark: blue square seal markA circular drum shaped butter tub, cover and stand with lug handles and aflower finial, decorated with swags of European flowers within shaped car-touches edged with gilt scrollwork, reserved on an underglaze blue scaleground with gilt line borders.

Ref: S. Spero & J. Sandon, Worcester Porcelain, The Zorensky Collection,fig. 458 for a similar example but with Kakiemon flowers.

Private Collections

13. A Pair of Minton Ornithological PlatesDiam: 24 cm c. 1805Mark: Crossed L’s and M, Le Moineau franc (L) and Le Pitchou de Pro-vence (R)Each painted in iron red monochrome with the named bird within simplegilt lines.

Ref: G. Godden, Minton Pottery and Porcelain of the First Period, 1793-1850, pl. 11 for a closely related teapot.

The lack of a pattern number with the mark indicates this service was a spe-cial order rather than a stock pattern.

Le Moineau is a sparrow, Le Pitchou de Provence is known as a Dartfordwarbler in England.

The source for these images was Thomas Bewick’s A History of BritishBirds, published 1797. Bewick includes the Comte de Buffon’s Frenchnames with each illustration, which the Minton artist has used on the plates.


14. A Barr, Flight and Barr Worcester GarnitureHt: 18.5 cm (centre vase) c. 1810Marks: full script marks, the centre vase including Royal Porcelain WorksThe centre vase on a wrythen stem and with three dolphin supports, the lidwith a flamiform finial; the side vases with rams horn handles, the lidseach with a cupid carrying a torch; all decorated with a finely painted bandof flowers on a pale yellow ground and richly gilded.

Ref: H. Sandon, Flight and Barr Worcester Porcelain, 1783-1840, col. pl.page 173 and pl. 173.


15. A Pair of Flight Barr and Barr Worcester VasesHt: 27 cm c. 1820Mark: impressed FBB under crown

Of Empire style decorated in panels with a stylised Oriental flower designwithin a green border, all on a blue ground, the whole richly gilded.

Ref: H. Sandon, ibid, pl. 147 for a similar pair with botanical decoration.

These vases display a fascinating range of influences demonstratingWorcester’s versatility - the form is classic French Empire, the panels withtheir double ogival outline have a Mughal reference, and the painting isderived from Imari. The overall effect epitomises the sumptuousness ofthe Regency Period.


16. Two Important Groups of Derby BirdsHt: 9.8 cm Dated 1751 (left)Each group similarly modelled as a pair of birds perched on a leafy treestump with a leafing vine across the base. The dated group has a thickwhite glaze, possibly opacified, which obscures the modelling of theleaves; the undated group (on the right) has a greyish, glassy glaze, its basehas a line of closely spaced incised lines as if made by repeatedly impress-ing a thumbnail; both have eyes formed of small indented applied discs.

Provenance: Joseph Sikes (1724-98), Chauntry House, Newark, thence bydescent.

Ref: P. White, Two distinct early Derby white groups of figures and somequandaries, ECC Transactions, Vol 25, pp. 165-76.

These groups correspond to Peter White’sGroup A, early Derby. The experimental natureof the production at this period is illuminated bythe differences in the glazes and modelling.


17. A Chelsea Figure of a Harvester Allegorical of AutumnHt: 14 cm c. 1755Mark: red anchorModelled with great animation by Joseph Willems, the youth shown strid-ing along carrying a section of grape vine over his shoulder, a bunch ofgrapes in his right hand, and his stocking rolled down.

From a set of the Rustic Seasons. While the Spring, Summer and Winter inthis set are derived from Meissen, Autumn is original to Chelsea, and wascopied by Longton Hall.

Ref: F. Severne Mackenna, Chelsea Porcelain, the Red Anchor Wares, fig.129 and p. 97, in which he states of the set, “the modelling could not beimproved, and the sharpness of tooling which gives their faces such expres-sion is wholly admirable”.


18. A Pair of Chelsea Fable CandlesticksHt: 27.5 cm c. 1760-65Mark: gold anchorA rare pair of candlesticks with elaborate bocage and separate piercedsconces, showing the Aesop fables of The Fox and the Wolf, Fable V111and The Goat in the Well, Fable LX, based upon the engravings of FrancisBarlow, published in 1666.

Mrs Aphra Behn’s synopses of the Fables in the second edition of 1687 areas follows:The Fox and the WolfThe Fox in a deep well implores the aid of a grave Wolfe , who many ques-tions made, how he came there, the Fox half drowned replies, “oh ceasevain words and help thy Friend that dies”.Morall: Men oft good Counsell can bestow in griefe, but with no reall goodwill bring reliefe.


The Goat in the WellThe Goat implores the Fox since he was free’d, from the deep Well to helphis friend with speed, But he reply’d: “ah Fool, did thy wit bear proportionto thy Beard, thou d’st not been there”Morall: Try Friends before you of their Kindness boast, lest they despiseyou when you need ‘em most.

Engravings by Francis Barlow, published 1666.


19. A Bow Ewe and LambHt: 14 cm c. 1765-70Modelled as a ewe with her lamb lying beside her in front of a floweringtree.

Ref: P. Bradshaw, Bow Porcelain Figures, C71, p. 214.

20. A Bow GoldfinchHt. 8.8 cm c. 1760-64Modelled perched on a flowering branch,painted in naturalistic colours.

Ref: P. Bradshaw, op. cit., B154, p. 180.

Private Collections

21. A Derby Figure of Andromache Weeping over the Ashes of HectorHt: 23.8 cm c. 1780-85Marks: incised N 100 and 2Modelled as the Trojan heroine Andromache leaning on a funerary urn ona plinth, her left arm hanging at her side holding a wreath, weeping, hertears modelled coursing down her cheeks, her robe enamelled with indi-anische blumen, martial trophies painted in grisaille on the sides of theplinth.

Ref: H. Young, Pierre Stephan: the Career of a Derby Modeller Reviewed,D.P.I.S. Journal 4, pp. 83-93.

The model is inspired by a mezzotint by Thomas Burke after AngelicaKauffmann published in 1771. The probable modeller was Pierre Stephanwho purchased the print in 1774 for the Derby factory. It was mentioned aslot 7 in the sale Catalogue of the Valuable Produce of the Derby and Chel-sea Manufactories of 1780.


22. A Pair of Chamberlain Worcester PugsHt: 6.8 cm c. 1820-40Mark: inscribed Chamberlain WorcesterEach pug wearing a red collar and seated on a dry blue rectangular base.

Ref: G. Godden, Chamberlains Worcester Porcelain, p. 214, pl. 248.

In December 1816 a list of animal models sent down to the London shopincluded “2 Pugs”, and a later factory document dated 1821 includes, “2Pairs stags, dry blue cushions”. This is the first reference to the use of thedry blue base. The latest mention of pugs in factory documents is in 1829where a single one was priced at 2s 6d.

23. A Chamberlain Worcester Cat and KittenHt: 6 cm c. 1820-30The cat seated on a green cushion, her kitten recumbent beside her.

Ref: G. Godden, ibid, p. 214 and pl. 249.

A factory document of April 1826 lists “1 cat and kitten”. It was valued at3s 6d.

There appear to be no references to animals in the Chamberlain’s recordsfor the 1840’s, thus putting a terminal date to their production.

Private Collections

24. A St Cloud Teabowl and SaucerDiam: 12.5 cm, saucer c. 1720-40A teabowl and trembleuse saucer moulded with gadroons and decoratedwith underglaze blue lambrequin borders after designs by Jean Bérain, thefoot rim and the rim of the trembleuse decorated with a cross hatched de-sign.

Ref: B. Rondot, The St Cloud Manufactory ca 1690-1766, pp. 266-7.

The term lambrequin was only adopted in the 19th century for this type ofdesign. It was identified in the factory inventories as broderie from the he-raldic term to describe the festooned fabric draped around helmets and toframe escutcheons.

25. A Chantilly Mustard Pot and CoverHt: 9 cm c. 1770-75Mark: hunting horn in blueA barrel shaped moutardier with a pierced cover and a round knop decorat-ed in under glaze blue à la brindille, the twig pattern.

Ref: G. Le Duc, Porcelaine tendre de Chantilly au XV111 siècle, p. 282for a pot à jus in this pattern.

This design, known as Chantilly Sprig, and other Chantilly blue and whitepatterns, were copied by Caughley in the 1790’s, a time when Caughleywas greatly influenced by French porcelain.

Private Collections

26. A St Cloud SucrierHt: 11 cm c. 1735-40The white circular sucrier and cover with a simple turned knop with raisedprunus decoration in imitation of Chinese blanc de chine.

Ref: B. Rondot, op. cit., no. 84 for the prunus moulding and knop and no.211 for the shape.

St Cloud perfected the production of imitation Dehua wares with the confi-dent use of their ivory toned soft paste porcelain along with a lead glazewhich softened the outline of the applied decoration. They came closer toimitating the original Chinese blanc de chine than any of the other Europe-an factories.

The prunus and the other oriental inspired white wares were never marked.It has been suggested that this was in order to pass off the pieces as Chi-nese however the shapes used are often of European origin which wouldnegate this idea.


27. A St Cloud Snuff BoxWidth: 5.5 cm c. 1735-40The white soft paste porcelain snuffbox modelled as a crouching hare withits ears laid back and seated on a grassy mound, the base with relief mould-ed floral sprays and set in silver mounts.

Snuff boxes, or bonbonnières, were a form of galanterie, small exquisiteobjects made for pleasure and luxury. The porcelain examples were usuallydesigned to be kept in a pocket, and fitted into the hand. Those made of pre-cious metals could be extremely sumptuous, while porcelain ones reliedmore on the charm of their subject matter for their appeal.

28. A Pair of Mennecy Miniature Pots and CoversHt: 5.4 cm c. 1750The white circular globular pots of unusually small size with moulded andapplied flowers and foliage around their circumference, the covers withapplied petals around the flower bud finials and with silver gadroonedmounts.

These small mounted pots and covers, to be used for cosmetics or ointment,were perhaps part of an elaborate boxed toilette service.


29. A Chantilly Beaker and a SaucerDiam: 12.7 cm (saucer), Ht: 6 cm (beaker) c. 1735Mark: red hunting horn to beakerThe six lobed beaker and eight lobed saucer finely painted with Kakiemonenamels with a red and blue quail and a pair of dancing blue cranes separat-ed by flower sprays within a brown rim.

Provenance: Mrs Frances L. Dickson;Lady Cynthia Postan.

Ref: G. Le Duc, op. cit., p.124 for a similar example.

The combination of the two coloured quail and thecranes are a design particular to Chantilly and have noearlier prototype.

The two cranes are possibly derived from prints by JohnStalker in A Treatise of Japanning, c. 1688.

Private Collections

30. A Large Chantilly BowlDiam: 11 cm, Ht: 9 cm c. 1735-40Of tapered cylindrical form and decorated with vibrant enamels on anopaque white ground with eight chinese boys playing a variety of games,some seated with fans or flying a kite, the reverse with two blue birds inflight and a spray of foliage within a brown rim.

Ref: G. Le Duc, op cit., p. 115.

The theme of young boys playing games was popular in Chinese art andsignified the wish to have a large happy family, preferably boys. These de-

signs appeared on Japanese porcelain in the late 17th century and were cop-ied at Meissen and other European factories, however the Chantillyexamples would appear to be influenced by the designs of Jean-AntoineFraise. He arrived at the Château de Chantilly in 1729 and entered the serv-ice of the Duc de Bourbon with the title peintre en toile,essentially a fabricdesigner in the manner of the imported Indian block printed, dye paintedtextiles. His access to the incredible collections of laquer, porcelain andwood block prints from both China and Japan at the château led to his pub-lication Livre des desseins chinois… and his stylistic influence can be seenon the Chantilly Kakiemon wares.


31. A Chantilly Small BowlHt: 5.2 cm c. 1735A small bowl of mortier shape with an everted cinquefoil rim, painted inKakiemon enamels with two children playing and the reverse with rocksand foliage, a fence and a bird in flight, the border with trailing floralsprays within a brown rim.

Ref: G. Le Duc, op. cit., p. 112, for the shape and p. 120 for examples ofthe Fraisse designs.

Chantilly made this shape, originally derived from Japan, in a range of siz-es with this example being the smallest. The decoration is unique to thefactory and inspired by the illustrations in Jean-Antoine Fraisse’s Livresdes desseins chinois, tirès d’après des originaux de Perse, des Indes, de laChine, et du Japon, published in 1735.

Private Collections

32. A Chantilly Fluted SaucerDiam: 13.5 cm c. 1735-40A saucer with twelve flutes and simply decorated in brilliant Kakiemonenamels with prunus and bamboo.

Ref: O. Impey, C. Jörg, C. Mason, op. cit., fig. 71 for the Japanese versionof the design;S. Miller, Jean-Antoine Fraisse at Chantilly, French Images of Asia,The East Asian Library Journal 9, fig 42 for the Fraisse woodblock print.

The use of the prunus and bamboo but not pine which would have made upthe characteristic “Three Friends of Winter” design, so favoured by bothChinese and Japanese artists as it symbolised strength and resiliency, indi-cates that the painters at Chantilly were developing their own interpreta-tions of Kakiemon inspired subjects without necessarily understanding thesource. A wood block print by Jean-Antoine Fraisse shows the pine treereplaced by bamboo which may have been the inspiration for this design.


33. A Mennecy OwlHt: 8.7 cm c. 1750-55Possibly made as a cane handle, modelled as an eared owl perched on atree stump, naturalistically coloured.

Ref: G. Le Duc, op. cit., p. 318 for a closely relatedparrot.

Mennecy animals and birds are usually found assnuff boxes, cane handles are comparatively rare.

With the burgeoning interest in natural history atthis time, the modeller may well have used a printfrom a contemporary book on birds, however thishas not been identified.

Private Collections

34. A Meissen Böttger Saucer with Hausmaler DecorationDiam: 13 cm c. 1720, the decoration slightly laterMark: incised / inside foot rim.The finely potted saucer decorated in Augsburg at the Aufenwerth work-shop by Anna Elisabeth Wald née Aufenwerth with a polychrome chinoise-rie scene within an elaborate gilt and iron red cartouche and giltlaub-und-bandelwerk border.

Ref: S. Ducret, Meissener Porzellan bemalt in Augsburg, Vol 1, pp. 41- 45.

Johann Aufenwerth, a goldsmith and engraver started decorating Meissenporcelain with enamels in 1718, together with his daughters Anna Elisa-beth and Sabina. Although both were married they continued the workshopafter his death in 1728. Sabina favoured monochrome decoration whilstAnna Elisabeth perfected the style of enamelled chinoiserie decoration afterJ. G. Herold at Meissen. The subject matter of these scenes is often the teaceremony.

Private Collections

35. A Documentary Meissen Beaker and SaucerDiam: 13 cm Dated 1739Mark: crossed swords and gilt 26 to both, saucer inscribed Dresden 17.39.The beaker and saucer with stiff leaf moulding, painted with chinoiseriefigures after the Schulz Codex, within laub-und-bandelwerk borders.

Provenance: Mr and Mrs George Clarke Collection, Luxembourg;

The mark on the base of the saucer

2nd Viscount Bearsted Collection, Upton House.

The significance of the mark is unknown, but itis apparently only found on pieces from thisone service.

The tea canister from the same service, markedidentically, is in the collection of Fenton House,Hampstead (National Trust).

Private Collections

36. A Meissen Teabowl and SaucerDiam: 10.5 cm (saucer) c. 1735-40Mark: crossed swords on bothOf small size, the teabowl with a flared rim, well painted with bouquetsand sprays of European flowers and other scattered sprigs.

This is an early example of the naturalistic depiction of European flowerson Meissen. Prior to this had been the stylised flower designs derived fromwood blocks, holzschnittblumen, and Oriental themes were used almostexclusively in the earliest years of the factory.


37. A Doccia Bear and Her CubsHt: 7.5 cm c. 1755Modelled as a bear holding a cub, another between her legs, roaring defi-ance at potential enemies.

Ref: K. Lankheit, Die Modellsammlung der Porzellanmanufaktur Doccia,page 159 where the group is described in the factory inventory, “…13 pez-zi che sono….un orso con orso piccolo in braccio…” (“13 pieces…a bearwith a small bear in arms..”).

This is from a series of animal groups, known as caccine, most of whichdepict two animals in combat, this being an exception to the theme. Thestrong emotional drive shows the continuance of the Baroque style at Doc-cia, at variance with the prevailing, lighter Rococo style.

This series of small animals were produced for decoration, to provide a live-ly tableau for the centre of the table to amuse diners.

Private Collections

38. A Pair of Ludwigsburg DishesL: 22.5 cm c. 1760-65Mark: crown over entwined C’s for Carl Eugen, Duke of Württemburg,(left).Each painted with figures in a landscape with a river, rocky outcrop, treesand distant buildings above a rocaille vignette and garlands after designsby Gottlieb Friedrich Riedel, within an Alt Ozier border.

Ref: R. Jansen, Glanz des Rokoko, Ludwigsburger Porzellan aus derSammlung Jansen, no. 112 for a plate with this design.


39. A Tournai Dish decorated in The HagueWidth: 30 cm c. 1776-95Mark: crossed swords in blue enamelAn oval dish or stand with scalloped edge and moulded flutes between fourplain cartouches painted with sprays of flowers en camaieu bleu at Tournai.Both the central scene of a heron and two chaffinches in polychrome enam-els and the gilding were executed in The Hague.

Ref: J. Lemaire, Des Porcelaines et des Oiseaux; Tournai, Sèvres, Brux-elles, La Haye, fig. 184 for the Meissen example and fig.181 for the Tour-nai example decorated in The Hague.

Anton Lynker, a German merchant, opened a decorating studio in TheHague in 1776, using white porcelain blanks mainly supplied by Tournaiand Ansbach. The decoration on this dish was copied almost exactly froma Meissen design c. 1763-74 hence the use of the crossed swords instead ofthe more usual mark of a stork, the emblem of the city of The Hague.

Private Collections

40. A Chinese Blanc de Chine Oc-tagonal CupDiam: 9.5 cm c. 1700-20A Dehua octagonal cup with aflared lip and four bracket feet withmoulded relief decoration of theEight Immortals either mounted orstanding by their horses.

Ref: P.J. Donelly, Blanc de Chine,pl. 26b

41. A Doccia Oval Prunus CupDiam: 7.5cm c. 1740-50An oval cup supported on each sideby gnarled wood forming a cradlefor the cup and moulded with plumblossom in characteristic greytoned hard paste porcelain after aDehua blanc de chine example.

Described in the Ginori records aschicchera, handless cups often tak-en from Chinese prototypes.

42. A Bow Oval Magnolia Blos-som CupDiam: 10 cm c. 1755Watney Collection Label

An oval cup moulded with magno-lia blossom to one side and plumblossom to the reverse, the woodystems forming part of the supportof the base.

Ref: P.J. Donelly, op cit., pl 27a for the Dehua example; A. Gabszewicz,op.cit., no 44 for the Bow example.


43. A Chinese Ko-sometsuke Dish for the Japanese MarketDiam: 21 cm Tianqui, c. 1621-7Of slightly irregular circular form, the rim with unglazed areas, the foot-rim sanded, the base with chattering marks; painted with a flowering pru-nus, a bird on the wing, a moon and with the Chinese character for Spring.

The bare sections of the rim, giving it a moth eaten (mushikui in Japanese)appearance, imperfect base and irregularity of form was prized by the Japa-nese. This aesthetic was developed by the masters of the tea ceremony andinvolved the admiration of objects which possessed purity, naturalness, alack of affectation and had elements of the unexpected.

Ref: J. Welsh, Ko-Sometsuke for the Japanese Market, 2013.


44. A Japanese Arita EwerHt: 21 cm c. 1660-1680Of ovoid form with a narrow neck and tall straight sided spout, decoratedin Transitional style with figures in a landscape with large leaved plantsbounded by formal foliate patterns.

Ref: C. Jörg, Fine and Curious, Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Col-lections, no. 177 and 178 for the shape and style of decoration.

The form derives from German stoneware, examples of which would havebeen taken out to Japan by the VOC to be copied. The foliate border designis inspired by Dutch delftware.


45. A Japanese Arita DishDiam: 18.5 cm c. 1680-90Mark: Fuku mark, three stilt marksA lobed dish with two sacred deer leaping amongst maple leaves.

Ref: Shibata Collection part 8, no, 32.

The Japanese sika deer is regarded as a messenger of the gods and is partic-ularly associated with the Nara area of Japan in which several much vener-ated shrines are found, including the KasugaShrine. One of the gods of this shrine, Takemika-zuchi-no-mikoto appeared on the nearby Mt Mi-kasa-yama riding a deer and consequently thesedeer were considered divine.


46. A Japanese Arita DishDiam: 13.3 cm c. 1700-30Of decagonal form with a fuchi-bene rim, painted with a version of theDeshima Island style of design of three figures in a watery landscape withEuropean buildings on the horizon.

Provenance: K. Main Collection

Ref: O. Impey, Japanese Export Porcelain,Nos 391-4 for other examples of this pattern.

A series of dishes with European designs wascommissioned, probably by private traders ofthe VOC, using European prints as their source.This scene is known in Holland as A view ofScheveningen after the Dutch coastal town.


47. A Japanese Kakiemon Saucer, AritaDiam: 11.5 cm c. 1690-1700Mark: single stilt markOf scalloped form decorated with three asymmetric sprays of pomegranate,prunus and peony, a floret in the centre.

Ref: O. Impey, op. cit., no. 240 for a plate with a similar design.

Meissen did a very close copy of this design.


48. A Japanese Arita Kakiemon DishDiam: 20.8 cm c. 1700Mark: six character ChenghuaOf eight-lobed form with a central motif of a peony spray, the border withcamellia and prunus growing from blue rocks, the reverse with a floral me-ander, four concentric circles and stilt marks.

Provenance: Welbeck Abbey Collection (by repute)Oliver Impey Collection

Ref: O. Impey, op. cit., no. 173 for an identical example in the Reitlingergift of the Ashmolean Museum (1978.625).

The combination of enamels and underglaze blue was a late 17th C develop-ment done at both the Kakiemon kiln and its competitors, as in this exam-ple.


49. A Liverpool Delftware ChargerDiam: 29.7 cm c. 1760Decorated with Chinese subjects, the central panel with a boy on the ter-race of a pavilion beside a large vase of flowers, the wide border with fourcircular panels of lotus alternating with groups of sacred objects, the basewith trailing flowers around the rim and the symbol of a Chinese incenseburner in the centre.

Prov: Gillingham Collection.

This is a close copy of a Chinese Kangxi dish(below left).

Reverse of the charger

Private Collections

50. A Documentary Pearlware Mug, possibly YorkshireHt 12.3 cm Dated ?1781Cylindrical with a sophisticated footrim, painted with a couple combingand spinning, inscribed, William and Grace Matthews, comber and theblurred date of ?1781, the base with Wm & Grace Matthews and Comber& Spinner.

Another very similar mug in form and decoration, dated July 14 1781, andinscribed John & Ruth Best, Weaver and Spinner was in the ECC’s Ship-wrecks and Marriages exhibition. It is not surprising that a county withsuch a strong cloth industry should produce such commemorative pottery.

Ref: Shipwrecks and Marriages, Dated and Documentary Ceramics, ECC,2009, p. 29.

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