Rare Sèvres Consulate Period Plates

Two new plates from Pia's Antique Gallery with an interesting Story. 

"We proudly present for sale a rare and historical Sevres hand painted hard paste plate with a floral garland border and cameo portrait. The plate is marked for the period at Sevres known as the Consulate years 1801-03 in iron red stencil, and incised CC1. The cameo depicts Lucille in charcoal (gray) against a pearly, slightly marbleized background. The portrait has been attributed to J. M. Degault, who painted cameos at Sevres for many years. The gilder is unknown, but the floral wreath decoration has been attributed to Charles-Eloi Asselin.

     The plate has significant historical value because it was produced during the tumultuous years after the French Revolution when Sevres was on the brink of ruin and bankruptcy. This followed the fall of the monarchy of Louis XVI and the ascendancy to the throne of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Only after the slow recovery of the Empire and the appointment of the brilliant scientist and teacher Alexandre Brongniart as director of Sevres in 1800, did the factory begin to achieve success once again.

     An almost exact plate is found at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts with the cameo of Ben Franklin, date 1801-02. The exhibition states that Sevres only made a few plates in this neoclassical style and that only one is now known to exist. The book, "The Sevres Porcelain Manufactory, Alexander Brongniart and the Triumph of Art and Industry, 1800 -1847", by Tamara Preaud, suggests on page 173 that a sales entry was entered June, 18, 1803, for three plates with wreaths and heads in gray. Apparently, a complete service with this decoration was never produced suggesting that these plates were a prototype. The inventory does show that on November 24, 1804, Monsieur de Lucay, Premier Prefet du Palais de Sa Majeste, chose a service for the Chateau de Fontainebleau that was quite similar and described as "service Nankeen ground, low relief figures with a garland of flower." Another delivery of seventy-two similar plates was made to Emperor Napoleon on Demember 5, l804." -Pia's Antique Gallery

Images and description from Pia's Antique Gallery via Ruby Lane

17th Century Still Life

Isaac Soreau (1604-1638)

Still Life with tulips, strawberries, grapes and cherries

1625

National Gallery of Athens

Impressive 19th c. Cut Glass Tankard

Have a look at this beautiful 19th century cut glass tankard with a sterling silver rim. It was made by a company named Dominick & Haff which was bought out by Reed and Barton around the turn of the century. I love the American brilliant cut and the wonderful repoussé work on the flowers around the silver rim. I would imagine this is one heavy piece. Those offering this piece for sale claim it comes from a Victorian estate in Tennessee.

Images from Pia's Antique Gallery via Ruby Lane

English 19th c. Mahogany and Ebony Desk

This lovely little desk was made by the Mervyn Macartney Factory for display during the London Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1983. Furniture from this time period doesn't always fascinate me but something about this desk was so quirky and different I had to know more. It's legs and overall shape speak to the beginning of the Art Nouveau movement which was just beginning at this time in France. It was crafted around 1891 and is made of mahogany and macassar ebony veneer with silver mounts and knobs. It can currently be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City.

Image Source

John Henry Belter

John Henry Belter was one of the most prolific furniture makers of the 19th century. He was important in the rococo revival movement durning this time and many of his pieces speak to this atribution. Today, a few of his works are currently in the collection of victorian furniture at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During Belters career, he acquired many pattens for his furniture making skills. One of these pattens involved the technique of wood lamination in which he fused together different fragments of wood to create pieces sturdy enough to withstand his deep and heavy carvings. The partial parlor set owned by the MIA shows exceptional carvings with roses and other flowers in rosewood from sometime during the 1860's. Belters sofas from this time sold for an average price of $350, which was quite a bit of money. Unfortunately, these pieces are currently not on display but hopefully someday they will emerge from the museums storage and be on view to the public once again.

Images from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Miniature Rooms by Charles Matton

Source

Château de Lunéville

Interior room at Château de Lunéville, built in the early 18th c.

Image Source