A pair of Sèvres blue-ground topographical ice pails (glacières "Vase B") from the Service des petites vues de France, dated 1830
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A pair of documentary Sèvres blue-ground topographical ice pails (glacières "Vase B") from the Service des petites vues de France ordered by King Louis Philippe, dated 1830
Painted by Jean-Baptiste Gabriel Langlacé, with circular landscape panels depicting views of 'Château de Neuilly' and 'Le Palais Royal' reserved on a blue ground with formal gilt and platinum scrollwork borders, the reverse with neo-classical cornucopia of fruits and vegetables surrounded by a stiff oakleaf wreath, the scroll handles with an allegorical head of Nereus at the terminal, both vases mounded on contemporary square ormolu plinths, 32.5cm high, the icepail with a view of Château de Neuilly with printed fleur de lys, 'Sevres' and date mark (18)30, AB. in gold, the pail with a view of the Palais Royale apparently unmarked, (restoration to one handle and both rims) (2)
Sold for £9,375 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • For a comprehensive list of this service see 'Les Grands Services de Sèvres', Musée National de Ceramique, Sèvres, exhibition catalogue, 25 May to 29 July 1951, no. 30, pp. 51f. Here is listed the "Service des petites vues de France pour le palais des Tuileries, Pate dure avec un Fond bleu agate, Frise de palmettes en or bruni à plat. Paysages peints en couleurs". The ice pails are the only two created for this dessert service ordered by Louis Philippe for use at the Tuileries Palace. Several deliveries were made during his reign, the first on 9 May 1833 (including 133 pieces at a total value of 18.160 francs) including "2 Glacières forme AB" at a cost of 1.100 francs, by far the most expensive pieces in the service. The larger part of the service was painted by Langlacé, the remaining items were painted by Lebel and Develly. The gilding of the trophies and ornaments on the rim and reverse were executed by Boullemier aîné, Moyez and Vaubertrand. They are listed in the Sèvres archives under Vbb8 fo 95 vo.

    Jean-Baptiste Gabriel Langlacé (Paris, 1786-Versailles, 1864) was one of the main painters at the Sèvres factory from 1807-1844. He also had a career as an art painter, and took part in the Paris Salons between 1817-1845. He was involved in the decoration of a large gift of a Chinoiserie cabinet by Napoleon III to the King of Sweden.

    The Tuileries Palace became the Royal residence during the Bourbon Restoration from 1814-1830. King Louis Philippe I took up residence in the Palace in 1848. The Palace was destroyed in 1871 during the Paris Commune, and now serves as a public park just behind the Musée du Louvre.

Auction Notices

  • Please note that the covers and liners are lacking. Please note that the service was wrongly attributed. The glacieres actually are the only two glacieres of the "service pittoresque fond beau bleu riche décor en or cartels de paysages vues d'Europe" which entered the 'magasin de vente' on 6 April 1832 (Sèvres-Limoges, Cité de la Céramique, Archives manufacture, REgistre Vv 1, folio 49 verso, n°49) and was delivered to King Louis-Philippe, who offered it to his daughter, Queen Louise of Belgium on 31 April 1832 (Ibidem, Registre Vbb 8, folio 34). The service comprised 100 plates,each sold at 225 francs, and two Glacières AB of 1816 (the present lot) that cost 1200 francs each. We are most grateful to Mme Tamara Préaud for her kind assitance in re-attributing this lot.

Category: Decorative Arts / European Ceramics

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Nette Megens Bonhams
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Specialist - European Ceramics