Sold Ceramics - Sold Chine de commande - Western Subjects 1680-1800 - Various Subjects - Outdoor Scenes

Object 2010722

Child's teacup and saucer

China

1790-1800

Height of teacup 55 mm (2.17 inch), diameter of rim 50 mm (1.97 inch), diameter of footring 25 mm (0.98 inch)

Height of saucer 26 mm (1.02 inch), diameter of rim 96 mm (3.78 inch), diameter of footring 48 mm (1.89 inch)

Small child's teacup and saucer on footrings, straight rims. Polychrome decorated in various overglaze enamels and gold with a village scene with an open cottage door from which a woman with a bonnet peers while a boy and girl stand on the roadway outside - the former with a satchel (or sack) on his back. On the sides monogrammed in an old English, gold "Copperplate" script (source: E. Breedt, Hoorn), with the initials L A S W. Around the rim a spearhead pattern border in gold on a blue ground. (Howard & Ayers 1978, vol. I, p.291)

Painted after a coloured mezzotint by Thomas Stoddart, R.A., (1755-1834), alias of Tomas Stothard (1755-1834), entitled 'Coming from School'. This teacup and saucer is most definitely from a child's tea set. Late 18th century, the period of manufacture of these pieces, children's tea parties were a common element of their socialization training. Such occasions, however, would have been held under the supervision of adults. The monogram would have been for a young lady for whom the set was purchased. (Pardue 2008, p.2), (Howard & Ayers 1978, vol. I, p.291)

For identically decorated and monogrammed saucers, please see:

• China for the West. Chinese Porcelain and other Decorative Arts for Export illustrated from the Mottahedeh Collection, (D.S. Howard & J. Ayers, Philip Wilson Publishers for Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, London 1978), Volume I, p.291, cat. 288.
• Important Chinese Export Porcelain and Chinese works of art from the Collection of the late Mildred R. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, auction sale catalogue 7520, Sotheby's New York, October 19, 2000, p.100, lot number 227.

For identically decorated objects without the monogram, please see,

• La porcelaine des Compagnies des Indes a décor Occidental, (F. & N. Hervouët & Y. Bruneau, Flammarion - Pere Castor, Paris 1986), p.92, cat. 4.33.
• The Hodroff Collection, Part II, auction catalogue Christie’s New York, 23th of  January  2008, sale 1958, p.92, lot 398.

Condition:

Teacup: A hairline to the rim.

Saucer: Two hairlines, a chip and a filled frit to the outer rim.

References:

Gordon 1977, p.87, cat. 78.

Howard & Ayers 1978, vol. I, p.291, cat. 288.

Hervouët 1986, cat. 4.33

New York 2000, lot 227

New York 2008, lot 398

Pardue 2008, p2

Price: Sold.