A Sense of Pleasure
t +44 (0)20 7389 6550 f +44 (0)20 7389 6556 www.haughton.com gallery@haughton.com
Brian Haughton Gallery
15 Duke Street, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6DB
A Sense of Pleasure
A Sense of Pleasure
15 Duke Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6DB Tel: +44 (0)20 7389 6550 Fax: +44 (0)20 7389 6556 Email: gallery@haughton.com www.haughton.com
All exhibits are for sale
Foreword
The Catalogue ‘A Sense of Pleasure’ has been inspired by a sense of European adventure, travel and discovery, these combined with a sense of curiosity, perceived a vision of Cathay and a yearning for the exotic abandon of the Ottoman Court, thus creating fashions for the trappings of the Exotic, within the palaces of Europe. This sense of Oriental vigor literally blazed across Europe in the eighteenth century, inspiring some of the greatest names in art and design, which in turn gave rise to the beginnings of the porcelain industry within individual Royal states and under their regal patronage. This garnering of great creative energies had its roots in the trade openings with the far East in the early seventeenth century, when the English and the Dutch directly confronted the Portugese in the Asian seas, by rounding the Cape of Good Hope. In 1595, Phillip II of Spain laid down an embargo against all trade between the Dutch and the Portugese, so the Dutch concentrated on their previous successful spice trade whilst secretly committing acts of piracy on their former partners the Portugese, thereby obtaining their valuable cargos of Chinese porcelains and selling them by auction back in the Netherlands. These new trading ways gave rise to the Dutch East India Company and the flowing of Chinese export porcelain into Europe, to lay before an eager, curious and captivated nobility and ruling class. The powerful love of porcelain that ensued, particularly of blue and white Chinese ceramics, closely followed by the Dutch Delft that emulated them, and then by the European porcelain manufactories, has developed and endured to this day in the 21st Century. Nestled inside and carefully packed within the ballast cargos of porcelain came not only rare spices but also the exotic, ancient sage-like drink of tea from China. The first recording of an arrival of tea cargo in Europe was in Amsterdam in 1610, though famed for its anti toxins it did not become greatly popular until the beginning of the eighteenth century. Chocolate had been discovered in South America in the 1500’s and brought back from the Atzecs by the Spanish explorers, as a curio for the Spanish Court, but this drink virtually lay dormant until the discovery of drinking it hot became a craze in Europe during the early 1700’s. Lastly, coffee arrived at the end of the seventeenth century, from Africa and Arabia through the trade routes of the East and the ports of the wealthy merchants of Venice. With these three new and ever fashionable drinks, lauded for their medicinal qualities, vessels from which to drink them, other than expensive silver, were desperately needed and so the porcelain manufactories in Europe began in earnest to satisfy this lucrative requirement and the new ‘Age of Porcelain’ had begun. It is no surprise therefore, to see this sense of bustling trade and mercantile activity richly painted on some of the earliest pieces of Meissen that we have in this collection. The Meissen Silver shaped teapot (pages 16 and 17), with its decoration depicting Turkish, Chinese and European figures at conversation at the quayside, heaving with trade and industry, amongst unloaded cargos from distant lands. At a time of ‘peace, prosperity and plenty’, this visual metaphor of good trade was at the forefront of the European ideal as they took notice and glanced to the Orient for their passion. This silver form has been imbued with a sense of the orient and the panels showing the mix of trade are surrounded by Indian
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Foreword
flowers or Indianishe blumen, together with Chinese inspired rococo borders. Chinese inspired decoration, known in Europe since the end of the nineteenth century as Chinoiserie, but within contemporary seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as ‘Japan, India or China work’ first began its wondrous appeal and incarnation as ‘Cathay’ in the medieval period when the Venetian Marco Polo sailed to Asia between the years 1271 and 1295. It was his ‘Description of the World’ published in 1298, which whetted the European appetite for a different way of life, far removed from their origins of regimented classicality. At the end of the seventeenth century, Chinese lacquer or ‘Bantam’ ware as it was known after the Dutch port on Java, flowed into Europe and England. The interest was spread by the publication of John Stalker and George Parker’s ‘Treatise of Japaning and Varnishing’. This fashionable type of decoration reached such lofty places as Chatsworth, Burghley and later Boughton, with the dehua blanc de chine porcelains amassed by Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough being transferred to John Duke of Montagu. The notion of Chinese rooms complete with blanc de chine porcelain figures of Pagodas, Guanyins and Magots or Pagods all surrounded by brightly coloured silks and furniture with backdrops of elegant and scenic rare Chinese wallpapers. These became regular features in the grandest of England’s country houses as well as the royal palaces, such as Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, where Queen Mary II displayed her blue and white Chinese porcelain alongside her Dutch delft in the most ingenious, inspiring and decorative schemes. The small seated Chinaman or Magot (page 19) comes from the apogee and heights of zenith reached by the European vision of ‘Cathay’, it bears the inventory mark of the Japanese Palace, conceived and built by Augustus the Strong Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Some 20,000 pieces of porcelain, the largest collection of oriental porcelains outside of China and Japan, filled the viewing spaces and the world simply gasped at the idea and display. This present example, circa 1715-20, was made when Johann Bottger was still active at the newly formed Meissen manufactory and is listed in the 1721 inventory of the ‘Hollandische Palais’ that was about to be transformed into the Japanese Palace. It is also, however, a pastille burner and has holes through the ears and an open mouth bearing sharply incised teeth, through which the ethereal curling scented incense could purify and scent the surrounding area, in an act of pure exoticism. Dating from circa 1735 and modelled by J.F. Eberlein are a pair of Meissen Pastille Burners (pages 8 and 9) in the form of seated Chinese sages, in conversation with a parrot and a monkey. Both figures and animals are pierced, which therefore creates a heavenly illusion of divine conversation that transcends human abilities and fuels the sense of pleasure. The monkey eats, as we watch, a peach of immortality and therefore we as viewers witness this deeply sacred moment when the monkey himself becomes immortal. Symbolism was everything and the ‘European’ Chinese rooms echoed all around with hidden messages and visual metaphors of the secrets of life and good fortune. The extraordinarily beautiful St. Cloud Brûle Parfum, pastille burner, or pot pourri jar and cover, dating from circa 1735-40 (pages 6 and 7), is taken in inspiration from a Japanese censer, although it is imbued with a flavour of Chinoiserie, within the addition of the delicately elegant rose flowers and tendrils which surround the stylised melon-shaped form. The roses are emblematic of love and
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Foreword
union, when read as a symbol of the ancient Turkish language of flowers. The floral code and its meanings were brought back from the Ottoman court by Lady Mary WortleyMontagu, wife of the English ambassador, from the Court of St. James, to the Court of the Sultan in Constantinople. This very personal intimate object has been deliberately left uncoloured. We now know, through the researches of Dr. Max Tillman, that porcelain in the white was reserved for the private appartments within the French chateaux and particularly those palaces belonging to the King or the close royal circle. The triangular rockwork base evokes a sense of the contemplative tradition of the scholar’s rock pierced as it is with a series of asymmetric holes replicating the naturally occurring geological phenomenon, that were highly prized by the ancient Chinese scholars. The original mid eighteenth century finely tooled gilt metal rococo ormolu base, is of the very finest quality emanating from the French ormolu workshops and marchand meciers of the period. A lightness of touch and a triumph of naturalism heralded the rococo period of design in Europe, the chinoiserie idyll beautifully fitted in with this sense of elegant gaiety where the homes of the ruling classes played host to a delicate interpretation of movement, joy and light. This inspired artists like Francois Boucher, Antonio Watteau and Jean Baptiste Pillement to spread the new fashion across Europe in their paintings. Jean Baptiste Pillement’s designs were published in 1758 and 1762, ‘The Ladies Amusement; or the Art of Japanning Made Plain and Easy’, this book served as a design source from which most of the porcelain factories of the period drew decorations with startlingly brilliant effect. Chinese rooms in England now effused with delicate and rather feminine tones. These creations now showed pagodas hung with bells and gardens surrounded by decorative parasol like roofs and temples inhabited by chinamen and mythical beasts. The Chinese room at Claydon House created by the genius carver Luke Lightfoot in the early 1760’s is a perfect example of the English interpretation of the Chinese rococo or chinoiserie ideal. A further interest in the Turk and the Sultan Court at Constantinople now also firmly embraced the rococo. The Meissen Turk and the Levantine Lady (pages 10 and 11) holding sweetmeat baskets formed as scallop shells begin the group of three rare pairs of porcelain figures inspired by the dreams of the Levant. Dining tables for banquets or those for more intimate suppers could be furnished now with not only the finest porcelain wares but also figures made from porcelain. Series of trades or ‘cryes’ of certain European cities, such as London or Paris were modelled at Meissen and then copied in London at Chelsea and Bow, and characters from the Italian Comedy stepped out to bow from their theatrical stage. Animals in porcelain were also modelled and therefore schemes of Aesop’s fables and those taken from La Fontaine together with mythological subjects within arcadian settings, could be laid before the marvelling guests. A further synergy of Turkish indulgence can be seen with the Turkish musicians from the Kloster-Veilsdorf manufactory (pages 12 and 13). Pfranger’s highly adept modelling has captured the essence of their hypnotic dance. Now, we move to the English vision of the Levant and an extremely rare pair of Turks (pages 14 and 15), from the Worcester Porcelain Manufactory, created by the entrepreneurial physician Dr. John Wall. This ingenious proprietor grasped
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Foreword
the new opportunity of the rococo and chinoiserie ideal to create a unique style, in the decorating studios at Worcester, which carefully combined both. The amazingly boldly coloured and flamboyant Junket dish (page 46) and the rare powder blue Chinese inspired teapot and cover, with delicate gilding, (page 45) both being excellent and rare examples of his flamboyant success. The English interpretation of the rococo performs an undeniably creative twist with the production of the Monkey sweetmeat dishes (pages 20 and 21). Derived with inspiration from Meissen and fuelling the interest in ‘Singerie’ a singular duet is conceived for the viewer, with imagined pipe music and soothing melodies sung. Certainly modelled by John Toulouse at the Bow manufactory, these inventive anthropomorphic creations were of the highest possible fashionable taste during this decadent period, an interest springing from the Singerie paintings at Chantilly in the Château of the Prince de Condé. The very fine Vienna Du Paquier silver mounted tankard (pages 22 and 23), offers a dazzling insight to the carefully crafted wares of Claudius Innocentius du Paquier. Although, undeniably European in taste and decoration, the opium poppy seed head together with the roses, symbols of love and remembrance, endorse the heady mixture of Turkish and European floral motifs and design. The goldfinch however, perched within the thorns of the rose, is a reminder of Christ’s passion. Moving through to the final quarter of nineteenth century, the interest in the Ottoman Court and the Orient was undeniably strong. Royal carvers Crace and Sons had long since completed their improvements for the excesses of the Prince Regent at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton. This was followed by a renewed interest in Moorish art and architecture, particularly drawing on the Alhambra Palace, in Grenada, Spain, which led to schemes transforming the London and country houses of the rulers of the British Empire, in an opulent taste of the exotic without parallel. The pair of lavender ground Sevres porcelain vases, gilded with Moorish pendant designs (pages 34 and 35), and dating from 1874 follow an Islamic form redolent of the bubbling hookah pipes of North Africa and the Middle East. An equally dazzling pair of Sevres vases, (pages 30 and 31), mix a unique vase shape honouring Charles Delafosse, the eighteenth century French Architect with an Egyptian design element likened to the form of a canopic jar and cover. These breathtakingly opulent orange marbled fond rose vases were gifted to the famous French operatic singer Lucian Fugère, by the French State in 1888. Finally, in a homage to Horace Walpole’s Cat, ‘demurest of the tabby kind’ we include the remarkable Staffordshire creamware cat, with tiger-like markings, circa 1830, (pages 48 and 49), ‘Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes, She saw and purred applause’. Certainly a special commission for a loved and noble companion, she is immortalised before us. There are many other superb examples of the triumph of the ‘Age of Porcelain’ included within our latest selling collection and we look forward to welcoming you to our Gallery, to fully experience our ‘Glance at the Orient’ and our ‘Sense of Pleasure’. Brian Haughton and Paul Crane. St. James’s London.
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1
An Extremely rare and highly important Ormolu Mounted St. Cloud Brûle Parfum, the hexa-lobed melon shaped parfum pierced with stylised sunbursts and resting on a naturalistic rockwork base, applied with issuing tendrils, flower sprays and leaves, the pierced slightly domed cover with a further flower finial. Resting on its original eighteenth century finely tooled gilt metal rococo scrolled ormolu base. Circa 1730 Height including mount: 8¾ ins. (22 cms.) Height of porcelain: 6¾ ins. (17 cms.)
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This Brûle Parfum or Pot Pourri Jar and Cover, would have been inspired firstly by Japanese censers and the applied flower decoration by Dehua blanc de chine porcelain. Oriental examples had reached the Dresden Collection by 1721 and these forms were used and adapted by St. Cloud in the following ten years. See B. Rondot, The St. Cloud Manufactory, pg. 292.
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An extremely rare pair of Meissen seated Chinamen Pastille Burners modelled by J.F.Eberlein, both Chinese Sages modelled seated on brightly coloured rectangular cushions applied at the corners with gold tassles, raised up on silver shaped canted rectangular bases. She holds a parrot, and he a monkey, both groups pierced with hidden apertures for the incense to rise. Circa 1735 Height: 6Âź ins. (15.5 cms) Marks: Blue Crossed Swords mark to the underside interior of each group.
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The Chinaman is clearly offering the monkey a peach of Immortality, which it accepts, thus becoming one of the 12 Immortals. This scene of great divinity and mystery is only enhanced by the illusion of the sweet perfumes that emanate from the models. The Chinese Lady heralds an exotic vision of Cathay in her flamboyantly coloured robes and her conversation with that most exotic of all birds, a speaking Parrot, again endorsing the spiritual and mystic qualities of these groups. For another important pair in the Irwin Untermeyer Collection, The Metropolitan Museum New York, see Yvonne Hackenbroch, Meissen and other Continental Porcelain, The Collection of Irwin Untermeyer, fig 25, pl. 19.
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An extremely rare pair of Meissen Figural Turkish Sweetmeat Stands, modelled by J.F. Eberlein, both figures seated on rocky outcrops, raised up on irregularly moulded bases applied with brightly coloured flowers and leaves, each holding a scallop shell. The male Turk wearing a yellow sleeveless billowing gown over a purple floral chemise, on his head a neatly folded turban with jewel mounted aigrette and plume. The Levantine Lady seated cross-legged, wearing a long flowing purple gown over a diaphanous floral chemise.
Circa 1745–50 Height: 6ž ins. (17 cms) Marks: Crossed swords marks in underglaze blue to the reverse on each group. For a similar pair see Dr. Erika Pauls-Eisenbeiss, German Porcelain of the Eighteenth Century, London, 1972, Vol. 1, p.103.
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An extremely rare pair of KlosterVeilsdorf Turkish Musicians, modelled by Pfranger, both turbaned and wearing brightly coloured Turkish Levantine clothing in tones of yellow, puce and iron red, she holding a tambourine and looking out at one side and he gazing up holding a lute under one arm, on irregularly moulded slightly domed bases. Circa: 1764 Height of Lady: 7 ins. (18 cms) Height of Man: 8 ins. (20 cms) The Female Turkish Musician is particularly rare as few examples survive. The Manufactory was founded in 1760 under the patronage of Prince Fredrich Wilhelm Eugen von Hildburghausen.
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An extremely rare pair of First Period Dr. Wall Worcester Figures of the Turk and his Companion the Levantine Lady, he standing with hand on hip and left hand on a scimitar, wearing a furled jewelled turban and puce long flowing gown trimmed and lined with ermine, she with similar turban and ermine trimmed and lined yellow gown, her floral chemise with turquoise sleeves, both standing on a circular base applied with a single primrose. Circa 1768 Height: 5 ins. (13 cms) No Marks
Provenance: English Private Collection.
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The Turks are undoubtedly the work of the great modeller John Toulouse, who arrived from Bow in 1767 and is responsible for the figural work which emanates from the factory at this time.This also includes the array of wares and ornamental objects which are adorned with flowers and leaves in his distinctive ‘hot cross bun’ style. This pair is exceptionally well coloured and early in date. As an aside, see Charles William Dyson Perrins ECC transactions, 1934, for a watercolour of circa 1784 by E.F. and T.F. Burney intended as a design for the frontispiece of Nash’s History of Worcestershire. Included amongst the items representing famous products of the county is a porcelain figure identical to the male Turk.
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Reverse View
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An extremely fine and Important Meissen Teapot and Cover, of baluster silver shape with scrolled handle and rising curved spout. Each side very finely painted in the manner of Christian Frederich Herold, with a landscape scene, one side depicting Merchants. The reverse side, with an extremely rare Dutch Winter scene of ice-skaters on a frozen river, before a huge oak tree and a village beyond and figures at various rural winter pursuits. Each painted panel within gilt scrollwork and Bottger lustre quatrelobe cartouches embellished with iron-red and purple scrollwork, the handle and spout flanked by sprigs of Indianishe Blumen. The domed cover with a continuous figural scene, together with a rare larger figure clambering over rocks. Circa 1728–1730 Height: 5 ins. (12.5 cms) Marks: Crossed swords mark in underglaze blue, gilder’s mark T to both pieces and incised line inside footrim.
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An Important Meissen Bottger Porcelain Hausmaler Tea Bowl and Saucer, painted by Ignaz Preissler of Breslau in Eisenrot and Scwarzlot, iron red and black, the saucer with four red Galleons at a Dutch-like quayside. To one side an elaborately built three storeyed house surrounded by trees beneath an iron red and black sky. The teabowl with a scene of mercantile and seafaring exchange within The Orient, before a sea laden with eisenrot galleons, before distant fortified coastlands. Circa 1720 This teabowl and saucer exhibiting some of the very finest decoration to be executed by Ignaz Preissler of Breslau. The Galleons could be contemplated leaving the exotic shores of the Levant on the teabowl, surrounded by coastlines rich in aged Roman symbolism that would conjure with the aromas of the steaming teas. The elaborately built bastion-like mansion house alludes to the success of the merchant, the dog by his side alludes to the safety of his home. This without doubt would have been an important commission for a single service for a successful merchant.
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An exceptionally rare white Meissen Incense Burner in the form of a figure of a seated Pagoda from The Japanese Palace, the mouth and ears on his grinning face pierced. Circa 1715–1720 Height: 3¾ ins. (9.7 cms)
Provenance: Japanese Palace, Collection of Augustus the Strong;Mr and Mrs. Sigmund Katz, Covington, Louisiana, Sold Sothebys 25 June 1968, lot 211.
This Pagoda figure is recorded in the first inventory of Bottger stoneware and porcelain in Augustus the Strong’s Collection, the inventory of ‘das Palais zu Alt Dresden Anno 1721’. It lists the contents of the Hollandische Palais’, which had been acquired by the Elector in 1717 and was later to be transformed into the Japanese Palace. The 1721 inventory (with additions to 1727) lists under no. 87: ‘6 Stk. Sizende Pagoden mit offenen Maulern. 4. Z. hoch, ‘Six seated pagodas with open mouths’.
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An extremely rare and highly important Pair of Bow Monkey, Singerie sweetmeat dishes, the interiors painted with brightly coloured sprays of European flowers. The female monkey seated to one side, singing, her hand clutching a song sheet, the male monkey blowing a flute-like instrument, each group applied at the base with brightly coloured flowers and leaves. Circa 1758–59 Height: Both: 5½ ins. (14.5 cms)
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The Meissen monkey band figures, modelled by J.J. Kaendler, were taken from engravings after drawings by Christophe Huet, who based them on his Singerie paintings at Chantilly, the home of the Prince de Condé. It is interesting to note that Madame de Pompadour owned examples of the Meissen monkey band figures. For a similar pair of these very rare models, see Anton Gabszewicz ‘Bow Porcelain’ The collection of Geoffrey Freeman, no. 254. The female of the Freeman examples bears an incised T mark thus suggesting the work of the modeller John Toulouse.
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A very fine Vienna Du Paquier Silver Mounted Tankard, of cylindrical shape, painted in a very full and bright palette with open cabbage roses and poppies, together with Goldfinches perched within the leafy branches, within foliate and scrollwork lambrequin borders in puce, red and gold. With silver domed and shaped cover, scrolled thumb piece and foot. Circa 1730 Height: 6½ ins. (16.5 cms)
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Literature: A tureen and cover painted with a spray of oriental flowers and two small birds similar to those of the present example are illustrated by Elizabeth Sturm-Bednarczyk, Claudius Innocentius du Paquier, Weiner Porzellan der Fruhzeit 1718-1744, p.111,no.126.
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An Extremely Important Pair of St. Cloud Seaux à Bouteilles, of bucket shape with gadrooned rim and foot and twin handles in the form of open mouthed Kylins or Dragons, beautifully decorated in the famille verte palette with long robed Chinese Courtiers within elaborately panelled rooms, one seated on a garden seat and smelling a flower, another holding a fan beside a table on which stands a vase of flowers and two further figures nearby, the reverse (see pages 26 & 27) with four ‘Ho Ho Birds’ perched aloft on banded hedges, flowering bamboo and branches of flowering prunus, above tied precious objects alternating with flowers and scrolls in iron red, a painted just beneath the rim a running floral border framed with two black lines, the interior with a similar border, the whole design enriched with gold, the Kylin or Dragon handles coloured in red and yellow with black markings. Circa 1720-30 Height: 7 ins. ( 18 cms) Handle to handle: 10 ins. (26 cms)
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There is a single similar example in the Museé National de la Ceramique Sèvres, illustrated by Bertrand Rondot, The Saint Cloud Manufactory, circa 1690-1766, the colour frontispiece, the handles of that example are lion masks.
Exhibited: Exposition de La Porcelaine Française de 1673 à 1914, Novembre 1929, Pavillion de Marsan, Palais du Louvre. No. 95. Illustrated: Porcelain Française du XVII au milieu du XIX siecle, Paul Alfassa and Jacques Guerin- edited by Albert Levy, pl. 11, fig. A.
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Reverse view
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Reverse view
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A fine Meissen model of a Guinea Fowl modelled by J.J. Kaendler, the naturalistic bird standing with its head turned slightly, the plumage in black and white with puce neck and red comb and wattle. The white rustic base applied with leaves and branches, mounted at a later date on a Rococo ormolu mount. Circa 1740 Height: 7½ ins. (19.4 cms)
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A rare St Cloud Milk Jug and Cover of lobed shape with square sectioned scrolled handle, delightfully painted in the kakiemon palette with flowering chrysanthemum, bamboo and banded hedges, the slightly domed cover with compressed circular knop and similar decoration. 1735–40 Height: 5½ ins. (14 cms) No Mark
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14 The Pair of Sèvres Vases Delafosse Fond Rose. Given by the French State to Lucien Fugère, of elegantly turned baluster shape, beautifully coloured in pink or fond rose and marbled with orange veining, heightened with bands of gold detailing and ormolu mounts, the rising covers with similar decoration and everted circular finials. Circa 1885 & 1888 Height: 19 ins. (48 cms) Diameter: 7 ins. (18 cms) Marks: Printed black manufacture production mark for 1885 and printed brown decoration mark for 1888. Incised initials PN to all four pieces. The French State made a gift of this pair of vases to the opera singer, Lucien Fugère (1848–1935). The shape was designed by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824–1887) in 1880. Carrier-Belleuse was the artistic director at Sèvres from 1876–1887, after a distinguished career working at the Tuileries, the Louvre, and the Opera. The name of the shape commemorates the Parisian architect and ornamental designer Jean-Charles Delafosse (1734-89). Many of Delafosse’s designs for trophies, cartouches, furniture, vases and light fittings were engraved in two volumes entitled “Nouvelle Iconologie Historique òu Attributs Hiérogliphiques”. The publication played an essential role in spreading the taste for Neo-classicism and the ‘goût’ antique throughout all of Europe.
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An extremely rare Tournai figural bust of Venus, modelled, probably by Joseph Willems. She wears a triple strand of pearls at the throat and a further pearl ornament hangs at her breast, supported on a pedestal base moulded at the front with a palm leaf, with contemporary gilt metal mounts. Circa 1766 Height including base: 7Âź ins (18.5 cms) No mark
Provenance: Private English Collection; John Hewett, Antiquarian. This classical figure would appear to be allegorical of beauty and therefore the Goddess Venus, the pearls that she wears are symbolic of beauty and are close attributes of the Goddess, as both were born of the sea and shells. The palm leaf at the front of the pedestal symbolises the ultimate triumph of Love placed as it is with Venus herself. The appearance of the face is very close to the style of modelling on terracotta figures signed by Joseph Willems.
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A fine Meissen Ewer. The lobed helmet-shaped body finely painted with a continuous landscape scene in the manner of C.F. Herold with Kauffahrtei scenes depicting figures of Oriental and European merchants and their wares by a quayside with ships and buildings in the distance, applied with a gilt-edged scroll handle, the lower section moulded as a shell, the lobed, flared foot painted with sprigs of deutsche Blumen within a gilt border, the inside rim with a border of elaborate gilt scrollwork.
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Snuff box and cover in the Dresden collections painted with similar scenes is signed ‘C.F. Heroldt fecit’; illustrated by I. Menzhausen, Early Meissen Porcelain in Dresden, no. 68. Circa: 1740–1745 Height: 8 ins. (20.2 cms) Mark: Crossed swords in underglaze blue
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A rare and impressive Pair of Sevres Vases, of slender Islamic shape, made in three sections and each joined with two slender fillets of ormolu, decorated with elaborate Persian motifs of gilt scrollwork and stylised oriental flowers on a pale lavender or ‘fond changeant’ ground. Dated 1874 Height: 21½ ins. (55 cms) Marks: S.74 in green, ‘Dore A Sevres 74’ in red and ‘I’ in gold, incised D-74-S and D-74 BF.X. The form of these vases is recorded in the Sevres Archives from 1874 as ‘Vase Bouteille Persanne’, the shape was based on a Persian metal prototype. Eighteen similar vases were entered for sale in January 1874 and described as ‘fond sous couverte et décor en or’ at a cost of 95 francs each (MNS Archive, Registre Vr, 1 iere serie, vol.2, fol.247)
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A very rare Bow figure of a putto emblematic of Astronomy, seated on a tree trunk and holding a sphere mounted on a socle, the young female clothed in flowing drapery, her head adorned with a star ornament, the irregularly moulded base applied with leaves and flowers. Circa 1758-60. Height: 5Âź ins. (13.5 cms) See Peter Bradshaw, Bow Figures, p. 157, fig B131 for a similar coloured example.
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An extremely rare Bow figure of a Lady Courtesan, she stands dressed in a yellow and blue trimmed and lined taffeta gown, worn over a puce and red stitched pleated under dress, on an irregularly rococo moulded base enriched with purple carmine and applied with flowers and leaves. Circa 1757 Height: 6¼ ins. (16 cms) No marks The model is after the Meissen original by P. Reinicke, who took inspiration from engravings by Pierce Tempest of Captain Marcellus Laroon’s sketches of characters known in London at the time of William Hogarth, whom he knew as a friend, these engravings from the sketches date from 1711 and were entitled ‘Cryes of the City of London’. These engravings were yet again loosely followed by Christophe Huet in the 1740’s and these formed the basis of inspiration for Reinicke’s models at Meissen.
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A rare pair of Bow white fledglings, each animated finch-like bird modelled in high naturalistic detail with ruffled fanned out feathers, open beak and wide gazing eyes, perched clutching at a naturalistic rocky mound modelled with exposed roots, flowers and vegetation. Circa 1750 Height: 4ž ins. (12 cms) This earlier version of the model, exhibits a very high degree of naturalistic modelling, together with a cone-like hollow support. It is one of the earliest bird models in the history of English porcelain and should be compared with the rare raised anchor models of birds manufactured at Chelsea or the plain white examples of the enigmatic ‘Girl in a Swing’ class of porcelain.
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A very rare Bow Piggin, of flared Pail shape, with rising and elegantly twisted handle, sprigged with three groups of crisply moulded flowering prunus, thorns and leaves. Circa 1752 Height: 3 ins. (7.5 cms) Made for the use of the table, these pieces were sometimes referred to as Cream Pails, though it is highly likely that they were used for spice or condiment for meats, small ribbed rococo moulded spoons are sometimes found to go with these. The other shape that can be encountered is a cylindrical form with one single flattened rising handle, on one side, these are found both in white and also sprigged and also coloured in the famille rose palette.
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22 A very rare and unusual First Period Dr Wall Worcester Sauceboat, of silver shape with scrolled handle, moulded in crisp high relief with sprays of roses, hyacinths and auriculas and picked out in bright colours, beneath a rococo scrolled rim, the interior painted with a spray of oriental flowers, within an iron red loop, line and dotted border. Circa 1765 Length: 6他 ins. (17 cms) Whilst this model is found but rarely decorated in under-glaze blue, this is an extremely unusual example painted in colours. The mix of European moulded floral decoration on the outside is juxtaposed with oriental painted floral sprays to the interior, making this a highly unusual sauceboat.
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An extremely rare Bow Model of a Hen and her Chick, the naturalistically modelled hen standing with her feathers ruffled and exceptionally well painted, her chick to one side, on a rococo scrolled base with puce highlights.
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Circa 1755 Height: 4½ ins. (11.5 cms)
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An extremely rare early Worcester Coffee Cup and Saucer, painted in puce camaieu, with a peacock perched on a slender branch under the overhanging fronds of a larch tree, above the waters edge, before the distinct peaks of the Malvern Hills in the background where the stylised Malvern Abbey nestles, enclosed within puce rococo scrollwork. Circa 1757
Provenance: Mrs Stevens Collection.
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Surviving examples of this exceptionally rare design are so scarce that it is assumed that only a single service was originally made as a special order. The composition is fascinating, the peacock and the larch tree are reminiscent of English delft farmyard plates. The hills and church in the background are certainly a stylised view of how the Malvern hills and the Abbey appear across the river from the factory and decorating studio.
A very fine First Period Dr. Wall Worcester Teapot and Cover, of large pear shape with double interlaced handles and scrolled spout, the slightly domed cover with open flower finial, beautifully decorated in the very finest detail with dry blue sprays of European flowers.
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Circa 1770 Height: 7Âź ins. (17 cms) Mark: crossed swords and numeral 9 in underglaze blue to the underside of the teapot The hand seen on this teapot is one of the finest to work in this style and medium. The flowers are shaded and detailed in such a way as to show a true mastery of the dry blue enamels. The shape is the grandest form of teapot made by the factory at this time and in the French taste.
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A Fine Dr. Wall Worcester Chestnut Basket Cover and Stand, of quatrelobed form moulded with panels of formal flowers picked out in puce and blue, the cover and stand reticulated, the rustic twig handles applied at the terminals with boldly modelled flowers and leaves picked out in colours, a flower garland painted on the stand. Circa: 1765–1768 Length of stand: 11½ ins. (26 cms) Mark: Roman numeral XXXIII in underglaze blue to the underside of the basket. The modelling was almost certainly carried out by John Toulouse.
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An extremely rare and very unusually marked First Period Dr. Wall Worcester Teapot and Cover, of globular shape with looped handle, decorated in underglaze blue with fan shaped panels enclosing Chinese river scenes, together with smaller circular floral sprigged reserves, on a rare powder blue ground, gilt with delicate sprigs of European flowers, the slightly domed cover with open rose finial and similar decorations. Circa 1762 Height: 5 ins. (12.5 cms) Mark: An open Crescent mark and seal mark in underglaze blue to the underside of the teapot. A teapot of the very rarest decoration and very unusually marked with two Factory marks.
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An extremely rare First Period Dr. Wall Worcester Junket Dish, of circular shape and silver form, moulded with shell panels coloured in orange and yellow alternating with puce bordered floral reserves, surrounding a central flower head picked out in bright colours framed with a yellow border, the undulating barbed and arched rim with yellow borders on either side framing garlands of flowers. Circa 1762 Diameter: 9½ ins. (24 cms)
Provenance: The T. Grant-Dixon Collection The curious and brilliant colours are recorded on another example from the Rous Lench Collection. The oranges, puces, yellows and purples are recorded on the Geranium moulded creamboats and Lamprey handled creamjugs of the same date and are used in the same way by picking out the moulded details.
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A Fine and Rare Longton Hall Tankard, the slightly tapering cylindrical form with scrolled and double kicked handle, painted in the famille rose palette with a large flowering peony issuing from a holed blue rock together with red sprays of bamboo and multicoloured sprays of flowering prunus branches extending round the side, the reverse with the charming inclusion of a crane wading in shallow water, the interior painted with four small green leaves beneath a double red line border. Circa 1755. Height: 4他 ins. (12 cms)
Provenance: The Valentine Dawnay Collection
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Side View
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An Extremely rare Staffordshire model of a seated cat, modelled and painted as a grey Tabby Cat with naturalistic ‘Tigerlike’ markings, tied with a yellow ribbon around its neck, with elegant yellow eyes and whiskered face. Seated, with its tail curled around its legs, on a green circular base. Circa 1830 Height: 14½ ins (37 cms) No Marks
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A rare early Worcester Mug of slightly waisted cylindrical shape with spreading foot, the strap fluted handle with kicked lower terminal, painted in very pale tones of underglaze blue with the ‘Willow Root’ pattern. Circa 1753 Height: 3¾ ins (9.5 cms)
Provenance: Formerly Paul and Helga Riley Collection & English Private Collection One of the earliest recorded examples of this shape to be recorded, the execution of the pattern bearing strong similarities to the very earliest class of painting at Worcester coming from a style or hand recorded also at the Lund’s Bristol Manufactory, that of the ‘Three Dot Painter’.
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An extremely rare Wedgwood Creamware Eagle, modelled with great naturalistic effect with plumage in great detail, the wings of the eagle ruffled out in flying attitude, its head looking slightly to one side, raised up on a circular rocky mound with vegetation. Circa 1765–70 Height: 6½ ins. (17 cms) See the marked Wedgwood example in the collection of Temple Newsham.
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A fine and rare early Worcester Tankard, of graceful slightly waisted silver form, with grooved strap handle, delicately painted in fine early lustrous glazes of light green, purples, yellow and blue with the very rare version of the ‘Beckoning Chinaman’ pattern. Circa 1756–58 Height: 5½ ins. (14 cms) It is quite possible that the origin of this rare pattern is Meissen or Vienna porcelain from earlier in the eighteenth century, although it seems far more likely that this style evolved at Worcester quite independently. This mug is the largest of four sizes of tankard made at Worcester at this time.
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A
B
C
D E
(A) St James’s love seal of a Chinese lady holding a parasol. Circa 1751
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(B) Chelsea love seal of blindfolded Cupid holding a spyglass. Circa 1755 (C) St James’s love seal of Cupid as Laocoon with a dragon. Circa 1751 (D) Chelsea love seal of Cupid struggling as Laocoon. Circa 1755 (E) St James’s love seal of Cupid rowing with darts, his quiver as a boat. Circa 1751 53
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A very rare pair of fayence, probably Proskau Exotic Bird Tureens and Covers, modelled seated and looking to one side, with fanned-out tails and ruffed necks. Decorated in grand feu colours in tones of manganese, blue, ochre and brown, the covers incorporating the wings and seated chicks as the finials. Circa 1760 Height: 6½ ins. (16 cms) Length: 11 ins. (28 cms)
Provenance: Vanderbilt family collection. Purchased from James A. Lewis inc. New York.
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An Extremely rare Staffordshire Pearlware, possibly Spode, blue printed and coral red ground dessert service, the stylised pattern comprising of lotus flowers and scrolling foliage within concentric floral bands, reserved on a rare coral red ground with Vermicule scraffito, comprising: a raised pedestal centre dish, a pair of pierced twin handled oval baskets and pierced oval stands, a pair of square shaped dishes and nine plates. Circa 1810 No Marks
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Carl Albiker, Die Meissner Porzellantiere im 18 Jahrhundert (1959) David Beevers, Chinese Whispers, Chinoiserie in Britain (1650-1930) Abraham L. den Blaauwen, Meissen Porcelain in The Rijksmuseum (2000) Meredith Chilton, Harlequin Unmasked (2001) Maureen Cassidy-Geiger, The Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain 1710-1750 Maureen Cassidy-Geiger, Fragile Diplomacy, Meissen Porcelain for the European Courts c. 1710-1763 Anton Gabszewicz and Geoffrey Freeman, Bow Porcelain, The Collection formed by Geoffrey Freeman (1982) Anton Gabszewicz, Made in New Canton, Bow Porcelain from The Collection of the London Borough of Newham (2000) Dr. Yvonne Hackenbroch, Chelsea and other English Porcelain, Pottery and Enamels in Irwin Untermeyer Collection (1957) Brian Haughton Antiques, Exhibition Catalogue, ‘Royal Splendour’ (2005) Brian Haughton Gallery, Exhibition Catalogue, ‘Sculptural Splendour’ (2008) Brian Haughton Gallery, Exhibition Catalogue, ‘A Taste of Elegance’ (2009) Brian Haughton Gallery, Exhibition Catalogue, ‘Nature’s Triumph’ (2011) Jean Pillement, The Ladies Amusement, the 1959 facsimile copy of the original 1759 Publication Rainer Ruckert, Meissner Porzellan (Munich, 1966) F. Severne Mackenna, Chelsea Porcelain, Triangle & Raised Anchor Wares (1951) Rosalie Wise Sharp, Ceramics, Ethics & Scandal (2002) Frank Stoner, Chelsea, Bow and Derby Porcelain Figures Dr. Max Tillmann, A Taste of Distiction: Elector Max Emanuel’s Collection of Porcelain Mounted in Paris. Art Antiques London Catalogue 2012.
Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following for their academic input: A.J.H. Du Boulay, Anton Gabszewicz, Jonathan Harris, Dame Rosalind Savill, Dr. Max Tillmann.
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A Sense of Pleasure
t +44 (0)20 7389 6550 f +44 (0)20 7389 6556 www.haughton.com gallery@haughton.com
Brian Haughton Gallery
15 Duke Street, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6DB
A Sense of Pleasure