CIRCA 1762, BLUE INTERLACED L MARK ENCLOSING DATE LETTER I AND INCISED MARKS

This salad-bowl belongs to the service that was presented by Louis XV of France to the Duchess of Bedford in 1763. John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford was the British Ambassador to France from September 1762 to June 1763. During this time, he negotiated with the duc de Choiseul to formally end the Seven Years War with the Treaty of Paris. This service was given by Louis XV to Russell's wife, Duchess Gertrude, in recognition of her husband's vital role during these negotiations and it is recorded in the Journal des présents du Roi on 24 June 1763. It was accompanied by table ornaments in the form of 69 biscuit vases and 52 sculptural groups and was delivered on 1 June to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, César-Gabriel, duc de Praslin, who acted as the intermediary in its presentation.

This richly decorated 'Lapis caillouté' service included four saladiers, two of the larger first size and two of the smaller second size, priced at 192 and 144 livres each, respectively. Three of the salad bowls are preserved in the collection at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, seat of the Dukes of Bedford, along with the majority of the service as listed in the Sales Registers at Sèvres. The present saladier, of the first size, a mortier, and two plateaux losanges, which are among a small number of pieces separated from the service, were sold at Christie's, London, 10 March 1969, lots 18 to 21. One of the plateaux losanges has subsequently been reunited with the Woburn holding. For further discussion of the service see David Peters, Sèvres Plates and Services of the 18th century, Little Berkhamsted, 2015, Vol. II, pp. 351-52, service list 63-1.