Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Porcelain from the Collection of August the Strong - Page 1

Object 2012461

Dish

Japan

1700-1720

Provenance: Formerly part of the Dresden collection formed by Friedrich August or August the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and inventoried between 1721 and 1735

Height 29 mm (1.14 inch), diameter of rim 205 mm (8.07 inch), diameter of footring 130 mm (5.12 inch), weight 383 grams (13.51 ounce (oz.))

Dish on footring, straight slightly everted rim. On the base four spur-marks in a Y-pattern. Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold with a low jardinière on which a miniature garden with rocks, a small palm tree and a vase filled with flowering peonies and prunus. On the sides and rim flower sprays in gold on a underglaze blue ground alternating with a river scape, a flowering chrysanthemum or peony plants. The reverse with prunus, peony and chrysanthemum sprays. On the base in a double circle in underglaze blue incised with the Palace number (formerly called Johanneum mark) 'N:165.' and signum '+'

2012461 q johanneum nr N 165 plus

The incised number identifies dishes like these as part of the collection of Friedrich August I, The Strong, Elector of Saxony later August II, King of Poland, which he amassed in Dresden. Only a few pieces were added after his death in 1733 and in fact it became a 'closed' collection. (Jörg 2011/2, p.52)

A special feature of the Dresden Porcelain Collection is comprised by the surviving eighteenth century inventories. The first inventory from the year 1721 (Inventarium über das Palais zu Alt-Dresden), mentioned above lists both the porcelain displayed at the Japanese Palace and the acquisitions till 1727. The porcelain was allocated to different groups, given a number and described briefly, giving measurements. The number was incised or painted on the bottom of the object. In order to distinguish the different groups a 'signum', or symbol, was added to the number. (Japanese porcelain had the signum of a cross). Besides information of the individual pieces, we find in the inventory remarks regarding circumstances of acquisitions ad losses. (Ströber 2005, pp.48-57)

Two identically shaped, sized and decorated dishes are in the collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden and registered under the number P.O. (Porzellan Ostasien) 2960 and 2961. For these two dishes, please see;

For another Japanese Imari dishes from the collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden, please see:

Condition: Perfect.

References:

Goldsmith Phillips 1956, pp.48-50

Howard 1994, p.15

Ströber 2005, pp.48-57

Pietsch, Loesch & Ströber 2006, pp.5-10

Jörg 2011/2, cat. 47

Sargent 2012, cat 34 & 86

SKD Online collection, PO. 2960

SKD Online collection, PO. 2961

Price: Sold.