A FRENCH ROYAL BIDET

CIRCA 1725

Details

A FRENCH ROYAL BIDET
Circa 1725
Each end enamelled with the royal arms of France showing three gilt fleur-de-lys beneath a crown and encircled by the collars of the Orders of Saint-Michel and Saint-Esprit, on a ground scattered with Kakiemon style motifs including floral and fan roundels and bowls of fruit trailing floral tendrils, the rim with a gilt and iron-red lotus vine border, raised on a wood stand
20in. (52cm.) long

Lot Essay

The exact history of this service or group of French royal armorial pieces is somewhat obscure. The published pieces have all been either saucer dishes or high-style serving pieces of sophisticated shape, such as the triple spice box sold Christie's Monaco, June 22, 1989, lot 77, and it must have been an appropriately impressive, high quality order.