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Lot Essay
The present set of plates, painted in the parasol Chinois pattern recorded in the Sèvres album of plate designs as pattern no. 134, are likely to be among those originally made for the noted English collector William Beckford. The factory sales records note two purchases in the name of 'Milford Betfort' (sic), now presumed to be mis-spelling of Beckford's name -- one on 13 March 1792 for 72 plates at cost of 33 livres each, and one on 23 November 1792 at a slightly higher cost of 39 livres each. The date letter marking system used at Sèvres was not based on a calendar year starting in January, hence the date letter for 1793 found on all of the plates presumed to comprise these orders (Sèvres register Vy10).
From 1791-93, Beckford lived in Paris on the rue de Grenelle, buying up huge quantities of works of art in post-revolutionary Paris. These he installed at his newly built Gothic revival house, Fonthill Abbey.
Mr. Phillips auctioned the remaining contents of Fonthill Abbey in 1823 and several lots of Sèvres porcelain were offered. Included were a set of twenty-four plates and three matching sets of twelve plates each, but with no descriptive information as to the decoration. It is likely that at least some of these were painted with pattern no. 134.
From 1791-93, Beckford lived in Paris on the rue de Grenelle, buying up huge quantities of works of art in post-revolutionary Paris. These he installed at his newly built Gothic revival house, Fonthill Abbey.
Mr. Phillips auctioned the remaining contents of Fonthill Abbey in 1823 and several lots of Sèvres porcelain were offered. Included were a set of twenty-four plates and three matching sets of twelve plates each, but with no descriptive information as to the decoration. It is likely that at least some of these were painted with pattern no. 134.