CIRCA 1741, THE FOOT 19TH CENTURY, MODELLED BY J.J. KÄNDLER AND J.F. EBERLEIN, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO BASE, PRESSNUMMER 101, INCISED 320, WITH PORZELLANSAMMLUNG, DRESDEN INVENTORY NUMBER PE102. IN RED INK, ENAMELLED P121. IN OCHRE, ENAMELLED I.A.65. IN IRON RED, PROBABLY FROM SCHLOSS MOTIZBURG, INDISTINCT III IN BLACK

Details

A MEISSEN WHITE VASE EMBLEMATIC OF WATER
CIRCA 1741, THE FOOT 19TH CENTURY, MODELLED BY J.J. KÄNDLER AND J.F. EBERLEIN, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO BASE, PRESSNUMMER 101, INCISED 320, WITH PORZELLANSAMMLUNG, DRESDEN INVENTORY NUMBER PE102. IN RED INK, ENAMELLED P121. IN OCHRE, ENAMELLED I.A.65. IN IRON RED, PROBABLY FROM SCHLOSS MOTIZBURG, INDISTINCT III IN BLACK
From a set of the Elements (Elementvasen), in the form of a ewer, the flattened baluster body with a scroll handle formed from bulrushes tied with a ribbon and surmounted by a winged putto, with a broad, shell-moulded lip, the central section moulded in low-relief and incised with a fleet of war ships on a continuous frieze of waves, applied with a figure of a mermaid with bifurcated tail beneath the handle and a figure of Neptune below the spout in a shell-chariot drawn by four galloping hippocampi, the shell-moulded spreading oval foot applied with four stylised dolphins (two hippocampi each with a leg missing, one also with the tail-fin missing, Neptune's trident lacking, minor losses to reins and minor scattered chipping)
25 1/8 in. (64 cm.) high overall

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The present vase would appear to be strongly related to the designs and techniques used in the celebrated Swan Service (see illustration). Kändler and his assistant, J.F. Eberlein collaborated on the designs for the Swan service which uses similar low relief decoration (left in the white), shell moulding and applied foliage, shells and coral. This commission for Count Heinrich Brühl was carried out between 1737 and 1742, contemporary to the production of the Elementvasen.

The existence of an engraving in the Meissen archives of a design by Jean Lepautre (1618-82) could prove a possible source for the Water vase (see illustration).
We are most grateful to Samuel Wittwer for drawing this to our attention.
Cf. Otto Walcha, Meissner Porzellan (Dresden, 1973), pl. 99 for a related ewer (assembled with a foot from a related vase); for a decorated example see Gunter Reinheckel, 'Plastische Decorationsformen im Meißner Porzellan des 18. Jahrhunderts', Keramos, July/October 1968, issue 41/42, p. 83, pl. 58; see also Samuel Wittwer, op.cit., p. 219, pl. 198 for a photograph of the Tower Room of the Residenzschloss in Dresden, 1896, showing a display of Element vases, some of which appear to be missing bases.

For examples of pieces of form from the Swan service with related ornament to the present vase see Ulrich Pietsch, et. al., 'Schwanenservice, Meissener Porzellan für Heinrich Graf von Brühl', Catalogue (Dresden, 2000), cat. no. 11 (an oil ewer), cat. no. 15 (a large tureen and cover), cat. no. 35 (a sauceboat), cat. nos. 45 and 65 (verrier).

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