PERIOD: 18th century
A CHINESE EXPORT PEAR-SHAPED MILK JUG, A COVER AND A COFFEE CUP CIRCA 1740 each depicting in half length a blackamoor before a lady and three admirers on a partially unfurled scroll, its pink-diapered end issuing two grisaille tassels, one above the head of a brown-spotted white seated hound, the other below a grisaille bird in flight beneath the gilt floral vine border repeated around the rim of the cover beneath the dog, bird and two floral sprays. Hair cracks and chips; the cover from the tea canister of this service. PROVENANCE (the milk jug) D. M. & P. Manheim, New York (the milk jug) The collection of Hazel J. Collins, sold, Christie's, New York, February 2, 1991, lot 95 EXHIBITED (the milk jug) San Francisco, Fall Antiques Show, 1995 CATALOGUE NOTE A teabowl and saucer with this decoration is illustrated by Lunsingh Scheurleer, pl. 221, along with the original engraving by Henri Simon Thomassin (1687-1741) after the painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721), pl. 219, shown in mirror image to the decoration on the porcelain. Another teabowl and saucer from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, sold in these rooms on January 30, 1985, are illustrated by Williamson, pl. XLII (bottom, left); and by Howard and Ayers, Vol. II, p. 370, no. 363, who note that the print is "entitled 'Coquette pour voir galants au rendezvous' ('The coquette meeting her admirers') after a painting by Watteau of which the original is in the Gallery at Gatchina." They further comment that "a more successful Meissen version of c. 1735 (also in reverse) is illustrated by Ducret," Vol. II, p. 161, fig. 196, along with the print, fig. 198. Saucers with this subject are illustrated by Beurdeley, p. 181, cat. 138; and Hervouët and Bruneau, p. 169, no. 7.81; and a spoon tray is illustrated by Howard 1994, p. 161, no. 177. An identical milk jug, but lacking its cover, was sold in these rooms on January 28, 1994, lot 776.
PRIX: $3000