Sebastian Kuhn
Department Director
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Lot 73
A Meissen armorial teapot and cover from the service for Christian VI of Denmark, circa 1730-35
3 December 2020, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £31,500 inc. premium
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Nette Megens
Head of Department, Director
Sophie von der Goltz
Head of Sale
A Meissen armorial teapot and cover from the service for Christian VI of Denmark, circa 1730-35
Each side painted with the royal arms of Christian VI of Denmark flanked by a landscape vignette with a large chinoiserie figure engaged in various pursuits, the scroll handle partially gilt with a sprig of iron-red indianische Blumen, the animal spout entirely gilt, the rim with a band of gilt scrollwork, the cover with a continuous harbour view with figures and trees, 12.3cm high, K.P.M in underglaze-blue, gilt 1. to both (2)
Footnotes
Provenance:
Given by Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, to King Christian VI of Denmark; his consort
Queen Sophie Magdalene of Denmark (1700-70); Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, to 1794;
Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, 1795-97;
Sold in 1797 as part of lot 7 in the sale of property damaged in the 1795 fire at Christianborg Palace;
Sold by the descendants of the purchaser in the above sale, Christie's London, 1 December 1986, lot 176
Literature:
G. Reinheckel, Meissener Prunkservice (1989), ill. 10;
U. Pietsch/K. Jakobsen, Frühes Meissener Porzellan (1997), no. 18;
M. Bencard, Denmark and Saxony Family Ties and Meissen Porcelain Part 2, in M. Cassidy-Geiger (ed.), Fragile Diplomacy (2007). pp. 184-185
Exhibited:
Düsseldorf, Hetjens-Museum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan Kostbarkeiten aus deutschen Privatsammlungen', 19 January-6 April 1997;
Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Porzellansammlung im Zwinger, Albertinum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan Kostbarkeiten aus deutschen Privatsammlungen', 7 May-13 July 1997
This service was unusual for its size as well as the combination of chinoiserie decoration and European harbour scenes. When it was sold in 1797 it was described as including two waste bowls, two sugar boxes and eighteen pairs of teabowls, but no coffee pot. The waste bowl, two beakers and saucers and two teabowls and saucers were acquired by Rosenborg Castle in 1986. A teabowl and saucer from the service was in the Arnhold Collection, New York (M. Cassidy-Geiger, The Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain (2008), no. 100); another is in the Carabelli Collection (U. Pietsch, Frühes Meißener Porzellan Sammlung Carabelli (2000), no. 57); and others were sold in these Rooms, from the Marouf Collection on 2 December 2015. lot 41, on 5 July 2018, lot 40, and on 22 July 2020, lot 45 (formerly in the Hoffmeister Collection, sold in these Rooms, 26 May 2010, lot 70). A Meissen desk set in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg is decorated with a fragment of a court calendar recording the birthdays of Christian VI and his consort, Sophia Magdalena, in 1735 (J. Lessmann, Porzellan (2006), p. 36).