Lot 220
220
THE PROPERTY OF MR DAVID AND LADY PAMELA HICKS FORMERLY THE PROPERTY OF EARL AND COUNTESS MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA THE LAST VICEROY OF INDIA
A VERY RARE PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE 'EAST INDIA COMPANY' ARMORIAL RECTANGULAR TUREENS AND COVERS, each of flattened form, the body finely painted on both sides with a crested coat-of-arms and the motto Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliae, flanked by lions holding flags, between a black band at the base and geometric double-strap handles each terminating in two floral sprays, the slightly domed cover with similar decoration and the coat-of-arms repeated, beneath a finial shaped as a spray of flowers on a moulded leaf (slight scratching to the interiors), circa 1800

Details
A VERY RARE PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE 'EAST INDIA COMPANY' ARMORIAL RECTANGULAR TUREENS AND COVERS, each of flattened form, the body finely painted on both sides with a crested coat-of-arms and the motto Auspicio Regis et Senatus Angliae, flanked by lions holding flags, between a black band at the base and geometric double-strap handles each terminating in two floral sprays, the slightly domed cover with similar decoration and the coat-of-arms repeated, beneath a finial shaped as a spray of flowers on a moulded leaf (slight scratching to the interiors), circa 1800
31.2cm wide (2)

Lot Essay

The arms are those of the New East India Company which was united with the older East India Company in 1709. It is quite possible that this service was made for the centenary of this event. This service was used in Bombay and Madras, from where various Governors took parts of the service back to England. For a further discussion of this subject and illustration of a dish from this service formerly in the C. H. Bullivant Collection, see D. Howard, op. cit., p.744; for a fruit basket from this service, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, see W. B. Honey, op. cit., pl. 110C, p.70

A dish from this, the official Company service of the 'John Company', was sold in these Rooms, 23 April 1990, lot 86. The companion pair of tureens was sold in these Rooms, 9th November 1994, lot 173a, from the same Viceregal Collection.

The 'Diana Cargo' auction at Christie's Amsterdam, in March 1995, contained a range of dishes in different sizes from this official service. The ship was heading from Canton to Madras, the base for one of the official Residences, when it sank in March 1817. The re-appearance of dishes from this datable source lends credence to the view that the service was designed and commissioned to commemorate the Centenary, and that regular replacements were shipped from Canton as and when required

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