CIRCA 1745, SMALL BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO THE GLAZED INSIDE OF THE BASE, INSCRIBED 687

The larger set of the Four Continents, of which this group was originally part, originates from an order by Tsarina Elizabeth Petrovna of Russia (1709-1762), daughter of Peter the Great. This set was inspired by copper engravings (1735-1738) by Gottfried Bernhard Götz. The expensive set (in the PreisKourant from 1765 a price of 50 Talern is mentioned) was considered very desirable and was included in some of the most important collections of 18th century Europe: King Augustus III, King Frederick the Great, Count Brühl and Kurfürst Clemens August. The set was originally described in the manufactory as Grosse Serie Eberleins, not to be confused with a very similar Mittleren Serie, and this specific group emblematic of Asia was described as Türkin.
See A. Schommmers a.o., Meissener Porzellan des 18. Jahrhunderts, Die Stiftung Ernst Schneider in Schloss Lustheim, München, 2004, p. 384-391 and R. Rückert a.o., Meissen, Porzellan des 18. Jahrhunderts, München, 1977, Tafel 118-119.