Sold Ceramics - Sold Chine de commande - Armorial / Pseudo-Armorial wares 1700-1800 - Pseudo-Armorial - Page 1

Object 2011202

Saucer

China

c.1740

Height 21 mm (0.82 inch), diameter of rim 116 mm (4.57 inch), diameter of footring 68 mm (2.68 inch), weight 43 grams (1.52 ounce (oz.))

Saucer on footring, slightly everted rim. Decorated in various overglaze enamels and gold with a roundel enclosing the mirror monogram of possible the 'DOC' the Danske Ostindke Company within a rocaille mantling and below a flower wreath, the rim with a border of vine and flowers. The reverse is undecorated.

Much Chinese export porcelain made for the Dutch market has a pseudo-armorial character, the most notable and largest group being monogrammed porcelain. Monograms are initials, often finely painted in the shape of a mirror monogram or cipher. A mirror monogram is a design of a monogram where the letters are reversed to make mirror images to produce an ornamental form. The word cipher is more or less synonymous with mirror monogram the with the emphasis on encrypting text with a combination of symbolic letters in an entwined weaving of letters.

Monograms and ciphers are mainly personal as opposed to coats of arms that beside by individuals can also be borne by whole families and communities. Pseudo-armorials are those emblems and signs which only resemble a coat of arm by using heraldic components such as a shield shape and/or banners, spears, flying angels etc. that surround the monogram or cipher. (Kroes 2007, p.56)

For an identically shaped, sized and decorated teacup and saucer, please see:

• European Noble and Private Collections. Including the G.A.H. Buisman Jzn. Chinese Armorial Porcelain Collection, auction catalogue Christie’s Amsterdam, 14-16 February 2006, p.432, lot 1096.

The mirror monogram on this saucer is interesting, similar monograms can be found on Danish coins (Kronet) from 1699-1730 made during the reign of the Danish/Norwegian King Frederick IV (1671-1730). In the Christie's Amsterdam auction sale catalogue 14-16 February 2016, the monogram on the Buisman teacup and saucer (lot 1096) is described as 'DOD'. The pictures of the Danish coins (Kronet) can be found on danskmoent.dk. On this website the author states that the very similar monograms 'DOC' on these coins (Kronet) are the monogram of the Danske Ostindke Company.  

'DOC' monogram of the Danske Ostindke Company.

Forside: Kronet double F4 monogram

Bagside: Kronet DOC monogram; 10 Kas under DOC

I 1729 gik det Danske Ostindiske Company bankerot og det var slut med DOC på mønterne. Den danske konge overtog kolonien.

Pictures and text courtesy: danskmoent.dk

Condition: A tiny firing flaw to the rim..

References:

Amsterdam 2006, lot 1094

Kroes 2007, p.56

danskmoent.dk

Price: Sold.