CIRCA 1750, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO TRAY

Details

A MEISSEN GAMING-SET
CIRCA 1750, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO TRAY
The rectangular case with domed cover and strawberry finial, painted with fanned cards, four of which are playing cards and the fifth decorated with the customs stamp of Saxony with the coat-of-arms and inscription 'FAKUCF' for Friedrich August König und Chur Fürst, the box enclosing four divisions containing four-gilt metal mounted counter- boxes, each box painted to the underside of the cover with a basket of flowers on a plinth, the tops moulded with card suits and a spray of forget-me-nots, each with a set of gaming counters, comprising: twenty-four counters moulded with hearts and enriched in iron-red, of which fifteen have feuilles-de-choux rims and nine are of petal-form; twenty-four counters moulded with diamonds, enriched in iron-red, with feuilles-de-choux rims, eight of which are enriched in a slightly paler palette; twenty-four star-shaped counters moulded with spades, enriched in black enamel, and twenty-four counters moulded with spades, enriched in black enamel within feuilles-de-choux rims, the cover of the diamond counter-box restored, minute footrim chip, the cover of the clubs counter-box detached, very minor chipping to counters, restuck chip to one of the divisions of the case and hairline crack to one short side of box
The case 6¾ in. (17.2 cm.) wide

Provenance

Acquired by Röbbig, Munich.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

For a full discussion of this type of gaming set see S. Baumgärtner 'Meissner und Wiener Spielkarten-Dosen', Keramos 59/73, pp. 3-15. The design of the card with the Jack of Hearts derives from a set of playing cards by Claude Valentin of Lyon, circa 1650, made for the German market. The customs stamp was obligatory on all imported gaming cards until the 19th century and was copied from the original cards.

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