AN ASSEMBLED NAPOLEON III SEVRES GILT-WHITE PART SERVICE

CIRCA 1840-70, VARIOUS GREEN PRINTED OVALS ENCLOSING DATE CYPHERS, PRIMARILY FOR 1868 -1870, IRON-RED PRINTED CROWNED N DECORATING MARKS FOR NAPOLEON III TO MOST PIECES

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AN ASSEMBLED NAPOLEON III SEVRES GILT-WHITE PART SERVICE
CIRCA 1840-70, VARIOUS GREEN PRINTED OVALS ENCLOSING DATE CYPHERS, PRIMARILY FOR 1868 -1870, IRON-RED PRINTED CROWNED N DECORATING MARKS FOR NAPOLEON III TO MOST PIECES
The center of each printed in gold with an elaborate capital N, variantly enriched according to the particular service to which it belongs, gilt line rims, comprising:
Thirteen plates (assiettes 'unies') from the Service Doré et Chiffre Impérial, the center gilt with a crowned N monogram, 9½ in. (24.1 cm.) diameter
Eight fluted plates (atelles à glace cannelées) from the Service Doré et Chiffre Impérial, 5½ in. (14 cm.) diameter
Two sauceboats (saucière forme lampe, 1ere grandeur) from the Service Doré et Chiffre Impérial, 10½ in. (26.7 cm.) long
Two small sauceboats (saucière forme lampe, 2eme grandeur) from the Service Doré et Chiffre Impérial, 8½ in. (21.5
cm.) long
Two navette-shaped dishes (bateau 'dits coulés de Nicolle' avec
anses renversées d'un bateau 'navette de 1829') from the Service Doré et Chiffre Impérial, 10½ in. (26.7 cm.) long
A plate (assiette 'unies') from the Service de l'Office, the
center gilt with a crowned N, 10 in. (25.3 cm.) diameter
Twenty-eight plates (assiettes 'unies') from the Service à Chiffre Doré de L'Empereur Napoléon III, the center with a crowned N monogram, the border with trailing ivy, 9¾ in. (24.7 cm.) diameter (57)

Lot Essay

Following the reign of King Louis Phillipe in 1848, Napoleon III (1808-73) returned to France from his exile in Great Britain. Winning the first presidential election of the Second Republic, he served as the President of France from 1849-1852 and under the title Emperor from 1852-1870.

Made for use in all of the imperial residences and staff dining rooms, the present offerings are from the extensive Service de Napoleon III à Compiègne. The pieces with the ivy borders (Service à Chiffre Doré de L'Empereur Napoléon) were originally produced by Sèvres as the Service de Prince for Louis Phillipe. After the King was ousted it would seem that Sèvres was reticent to throw away perfectly good porcelain wares and simply acid-washed his monogram off and replaced it with that of Napoléon III, an action that explains why the dates from this particular service are of earlier date than those that make up the majority of the Service de Napoleon III à Compiègne.

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