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

Objects 2010858 & 2012859

Teapot with cover and stand

China

c.1760

Provenance: Polly Latham, Boston, USA.

Teapot with cover: height (with cover) 132 mm (5.19 inch), height (without cover) 94 mm (3.70 inch), diameter handle to spout 195 mm (7.68 inch), diameter of mouthrim 64 mm (2.52 inch), diameter of footring 64 mm (2.52 inch), weight with cover 415 grams (14.64 ounce (oz.)), weight cover 72 grams (2.54 ounce (oz.))

Stand: height 23 mm (0.91 inch), dimensions 119 mm (4.69 inch) x 130 mm (5.12 inch), weight cover 109 grams (3.84 ounce (oz.))

Teapot of globular shape on footring, straight spout with a curved C-shaped handle. Domed cover and pointed knob. Polychrome decorated in yellow, rose, red, blue, green and white overglaze enamels, black / grisaille and gold with an the Arms of Crichton of Ruthven in Scotland, Argent a lion rampant azure armed and langued gules on a chief of the second three lozenges of the first; crest, a pillar argent; motto 'Stand sure'; impaling Freke, Sable two bars and in chief three mullets or, flanked by flower sprays. Round the rim a spearhead-pattern border. On the cover two flower sprays with a spearhead-pattern border round the rim. On the base an oval paper dealer label that reads: 'Polly Latham' with the handwritten number; 3762 in black ink.

Hexagonal teapot stand or saucer dish with spreading upright sides, a deeply scalloped rim and a flat unglazed base with adhering kiln sand. Used as teapot or milk jug stand. Polychrome decorated in yellow, rose, red, blue, green and white overglaze enamels, black / grisaille and gold with an the Arms of Crichton of Ruthven in Scotland, Argent a lion rampant azure armed and langued gules on a chief of the second three lozenges of the first; crest, a pillar argent; motto 'Stand sure'; impaling Freke, Sable two bars and in chief three mullets or, flanked by flower sprays. On the rim a spearhead-pattern border. On the base of the stand an oval paper dealer label that reads: 'Polly Latham'

The Crichtons of Ruthven are a cadet branch of the Crichtons of Crichton. There are two services with Crichton alone. It seems most probable that this branch of the family were connected with the East India Company; probably marrying a Freke of Melcombe in Dorset, or Hannington in Wiltshire. Patrick Crichton was first officer on the East Indiaman 'Earl of Elgin' at Canton in 1764. See chapter on the Earl of Elgin in Geoffrey Godden's book on Chinese export porcelain. This is also possibly for a daughter of Mr. S. Freke, Governor of Bengal from 1733 to 1738.

The Freke family, bearing these arms, are descended from Robert Freke of Shorton in Dorset - Teller of the Exchequer in the reigns of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth. (Howard 1974, p. 453, cat. P16)

There is a cup and saucer with identically armorial design (No.827+) in the British Museum and in April 1969 Sotheby's sold two plates and in 1970 a teapot, stand and teapoy with identically armorial design. (Howard 1974, p.453, cat. P16)

For an Illustration of a (tea) bowl from the Clive Rouse Collection with identical armorial design please see:

Chinese Armorial Porcelain. (D.S. Howard, Faber & Faber Ltd, London, 1974), p.453, cat. P16.

For an Illustration of a dish from the Phil. Cooke Collection with identical armorial design please see:

Chinese Armorial Porcelain. (D.S. Howard, Faber & Faber Ltd, London, 1974), p.590, cat. R5.

For an Illustration of a milk jug with the Crichton armorial design in encre de Chine please see:

Chinese Armorial Porcelain, volume II (D.S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard Ltd, London 2003), p.235, cat. L5.

For an Illustration of a dish with the Crichton armorial design in underglaze blue please see:

Chinese Armorial Porcelain, volume II (D.S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard Ltd, London 2003), p.418, cat. R2.

For an Illustration of a dish with the Erdeswick quarterly impaling Crichton armorial design in underglaze blue please see:

Chinese Armorial Porcelain, volume II (D.S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard Ltd, London 2003), p.425, cat. R5.

Condition teapot: A firing flaw to the inner footring.

Condition stand: Two popped bubbles of glaze, caused by the firing process, to the rim.

References:

Howard 1974, cat. P16 & R5

Howard 2003, cat L5 & R2 & R5

Price: € 2,999 Currency Converter