CIRCA 1725-30

The refined decoration on this large service relates closely to other Yongzheng period patterns, and it may have been ordered after the 1729 royal inventory, in which it does not appear. The addorsed L's supporting a flower sprig in the pattern's gilt border may represent the King's initial. The service descended in the Orléans family until Louis-Philppe, King of France 1830-48, gave it to a French nobleman, in whose family much remains today. See A. Lebel, Christie's International Magazine, January 2003, and also an unpublished manuscript, for which he would be grateful for images or further information of other French armorial pieces.

An impressive array of shapes and forms comprise the French royal service. From the collection of Benjamin F. Edwards III two candlesticks were sold Christie's New York, 22 January 2002, lot 136, and a wine cooler and ecuelle were sold Christie's New York, 22 January 2003, lots 73 and 76.