Lot Essay
Commissioned in 1838, the present lot is a portion of the large service of some 1,350 pieces delivered in two tranches of 1048 pieces in April 1842 and 314 pieces in May 1844. The service was a gift of King Louis Philippe to his younger sister, Louise Marie Adélaïde Eugénie d'Orléans (1777-1847) for her château in the Auvergne region of south central France near the spa town of Vichy.
The princess acquired land and the remains of a medieval stronghold in 1829. With the assistance of the architect Fontaine, she tore down its ruins and built a hunting lodge set in extensive gardens, the residence becoming a summer retreat for her brother the king and his family. The house and grounds are today a resort hotel.
The service remained conserved at Randan until the 1920's when it was partially dispersed through estate sales. Since 2000, some 110 pieces have been recuperated by the French state and the Auverge regional government, 65 of which were preempted from an auction of Souvernirs historiques provenant de la sucession de Mrr Henri d'Orléans, comte de Paris 30 October 2000.
Two Sèvres green-ground navette-shaped dishes from the Château de Randan service were sold Christie's, South Kensington, 22 May 2003, Sale 9633, lot 159. Portions of services from the same Château have been offered at Christie's over the last decade including Christie's, New York 20 April 2005, sale 1504, lot 299; Christie's, New York 21 Apr. 2009, sale 2159, lot 40; Christie's, New York 21 Nov. 2008, sale 2037, lot 208. A pair of sugar-bowls, covers and stands from the service were sold Bonham's, London, 18 May 2005, lot 92.
The princess acquired land and the remains of a medieval stronghold in 1829. With the assistance of the architect Fontaine, she tore down its ruins and built a hunting lodge set in extensive gardens, the residence becoming a summer retreat for her brother the king and his family. The house and grounds are today a resort hotel.
The service remained conserved at Randan until the 1920's when it was partially dispersed through estate sales. Since 2000, some 110 pieces have been recuperated by the French state and the Auverge regional government, 65 of which were preempted from an auction of Souvernirs historiques provenant de la sucession de M
Two Sèvres green-ground navette-shaped dishes from the Château de Randan service were sold Christie's, South Kensington, 22 May 2003, Sale 9633, lot 159. Portions of services from the same Château have been offered at Christie's over the last decade including Christie's, New York 20 April 2005, sale 1504, lot 299; Christie's, New York 21 Apr. 2009, sale 2159, lot 40; Christie's, New York 21 Nov. 2008, sale 2037, lot 208. A pair of sugar-bowls, covers and stands from the service were sold Bonham's, London, 18 May 2005, lot 92.