拍品专文
Frederick Augustus III (1750-1827) was the second, but eldest surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony and his wife Princess Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria. His father had succeeded Frederick Augustus II in 1763 but died only three months later, in December of that year. As Frederick Augustus III has not yet come of age a regency was set up with his mother and his uncle, Prince Franz Xavier, sharing the role until he reached his 18th birthday in 1768. Perhaps the most controversial decision made during this period was the renunciation of the Polish Crown. Although this was required by the treaty signed between Prussia and Russia on 11 April 1764 the Dowager Electress was opposed to the decision.
Frederick Augustus married in 1769 the Countess Palatine Maria Amalia Augusta of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, sister of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. During their marriage, Amalia gave birth to four children, but only one daughter survived to adulthood. Fredrick Augustus was created King of Saxony in 1806 and Duke of Warsaw in 1807. On his death in 1827 he was succeeded by his brother Anthony of Saxony.
The present plates are part of the so called 'Silver Service with FA in Shield' ordered initially in 1772 and added to at various times during the remainder of the 18th century. The inventory of the court silver prepared in 1774 records the present plates or tafelteller (dishes for the table) and shows an initial order of 200 from Carl David Schrödel. Later records show that a further 164 were ordered in 1780 and finally another 36 in 1782. As Carl David Schrödel had died in 1773 these later orders were undertaken by his sons and widow, who carried on working for the court at Dresden. Despite the size of the service, the full inventory of it records nearly 50 categories of objects, relatively few pieces survive.
A set of twelve dinner-plates, with inventory numbers ranging from 55 to 323 were sold Christie's, Geneva, 17 November 1997, lot 159 and others remain in the Green Vaults at Dresden (U. Arnold, Dresedener Hofsilber des 18. Jahrhunderts, Leipzig, 1994, figs. 18 and 24). Other pieces from the service that are still extant include salt-cellars (Christie's, New York, 18 October 1994, lot 49); candlesticks (Christie's, New York, op. cit, lot 48) and a soup-tureen, (Christie's, New York, 11 April 1995, lot 129).
Frederick Augustus married in 1769 the Countess Palatine Maria Amalia Augusta of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, sister of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. During their marriage, Amalia gave birth to four children, but only one daughter survived to adulthood. Fredrick Augustus was created King of Saxony in 1806 and Duke of Warsaw in 1807. On his death in 1827 he was succeeded by his brother Anthony of Saxony.
The present plates are part of the so called 'Silver Service with FA in Shield' ordered initially in 1772 and added to at various times during the remainder of the 18th century. The inventory of the court silver prepared in 1774 records the present plates or tafelteller (dishes for the table) and shows an initial order of 200 from Carl David Schrödel. Later records show that a further 164 were ordered in 1780 and finally another 36 in 1782. As Carl David Schrödel had died in 1773 these later orders were undertaken by his sons and widow, who carried on working for the court at Dresden. Despite the size of the service, the full inventory of it records nearly 50 categories of objects, relatively few pieces survive.
A set of twelve dinner-plates, with inventory numbers ranging from 55 to 323 were sold Christie's, Geneva, 17 November 1997, lot 159 and others remain in the Green Vaults at Dresden (U. Arnold, Dresedener Hofsilber des 18. Jahrhunderts, Leipzig, 1994, figs. 18 and 24). Other pieces from the service that are still extant include salt-cellars (Christie's, New York, 18 October 1994, lot 49); candlesticks (Christie's, New York, op. cit, lot 48) and a soup-tureen, (Christie's, New York, 11 April 1995, lot 129).