Sophie von der Goltz
Head of Sale
Lot 27*
A Meissen armorial teabowl and saucer from the service for Christian VI of Denmark, circa 1730-35
3 July 2025, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £8,320 inc. premium
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Raphael Machiels
Associate Specialist
Ghislaine Howard
Sale Coordinator
A Meissen armorial teabowl and saucer from the service for Christian VI of Denmark, circa 1730-35
The saucer decorated with the crowned Royal Arms of Denmark, reserved on the chain of the Order of the Elephant, the reverse with trailing branches of indianische Blumen, an insect and a bird, the teabowl with the crowned monogram of Christian VI, the reverse with a scene of elegant figures in a park by a lake in a gilt scrollwork cartouche iron-red and purple scrollwork and flower swags, the sides with indianische Blumen, a circular purple trellis medallion reserved with chrysanthemums to the inside, elaborate gilt scrollwork borders to the rims, the saucer: 12.8cm diam.; the teabowl: 4.2cm high, crossed swords marks in underglaze-blue (inside footrim on saucer), gilt numeral 1. to both, incised / inside footrim (2)
Footnotes
Provenance:
Given by Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, to King Christian VI of Denmark; his consort
Queen Sophie Magdalene of Denmark (1700-70); Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, to 1794;
Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, 1795-97;
Sold in 1797 as part of lot 7 in the sale of property damaged in the 1795 fire at Christianborg Palace;
Sold by the descendants of the purchaser in the above sale, Christie's London, 1 December 1986, lot 182 (part);
This service was unusual for its size as well as the combination of chinoiserie decoration and European harbour scenes. When it was sold in 1797 it was described as including two waste bowls, two sugar boxes and eighteen pairs of teabowls, but no coffee pot. The waste bowl, two beakers and saucers and two teabowls and saucers were acquired by Rosenborg Castle in 1986. A teabowl and saucer from the service was in the Arnhold Collection, New York (M. Cassidy-Geiger, The Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain, 2008, no. 100); another is in the Carabelli Collection (U. Pietsch, Frühes Meißener Porzellan Sammlung Carabelli, 2000, no. 57); others were sold at Bonhams London: from the Marouf Collection on 2 December 2015, lot 41; on 5 July 2018, lot 40; and on 22 July 2020, lot 45 (formerly in the Hoffmeister Collection, sold at Bonhams London, 26 May 2010, lot 70); the teapot and cover were sold on 3 December 2020, lot 73.
A Meissen desk set in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg is decorated with a fragment of a court calendar recording the birthdays of Christian VI and his consort, Sophia Magdalena, in 1735 (J. Lessmann, Porzellan, 2006, p. 36).
