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The Swan Service was made for Heinrich Graf von Brühl (1700-1763), Prime Minister of Saxony and Director of the Meissen factory from 1733-63. Count Brühl commissioned the service in 1737 on the occasion of his marriage to Maria Anna Franziska von Kolowrat-Krakowska. The moulded decoration (a play on the word Brühl, meaning 'watery') was carried out by J.J. Kändler with the assistance of J.F. Eberlein, and Kändler began work on the larger pieces for the service in the summer of 1737. It would appear to be the largest service produced in the 18th century and Rainer Rückert (Meissener Porzellan 1710-1810, Munich, 1966, p. 118) estimates its original size to have been between 2,200 and 2,400 pieces. The service remained in the possession of the Brühl family until after the Second World War. For an extensive discussion of the Swan service see Walter Fellman et al., Schwanen service, Meissener Porzellan für Heinrich Graf von Brühl, Exhibition Catalogue, Dresden, 2000.
(below, detail of lot 22)
A MEISSEN ARMORIAL OVAL MONTEITH FROM THE SWAN SERVICE
CIRCA 1740, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PRESSNUMMER 28
Details
A MEISSEN ARMORIAL OVAL MONTEITH FROM THE SWAN SERVICE
CIRCA 1740, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PRESSNUMMER 28
Modelled by J.F. Eberlein, the exterior moulded to simulate a shell, each side applied with a central cartouche heightened in gilding and bearing the Brühl arms, flanked by pendant swags of flowers, fruit, crayfish and shells, each end with a nereid handle issuing from reeds, the nereids with long hair and bifurcated tails, entwined with foliage and each holding a flower garland, the upper rim moulded with cascading water alternating with gilt scallop shells (one nereid handle with left arm and hand restored and one tail fin replaced, the other handle with left arm broken and restored and one tail fin restored, restoration to crayfish tail and one shell, restored chip to cartouche, small chips and minor restoration to reeds, flowers and foliage, slight wear to gilding)
8 in. (20.4 cm.) high, 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide
CIRCA 1740, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PRESSNUMMER 28
Modelled by J.F. Eberlein, the exterior moulded to simulate a shell, each side applied with a central cartouche heightened in gilding and bearing the Brühl arms, flanked by pendant swags of flowers, fruit, crayfish and shells, each end with a nereid handle issuing from reeds, the nereids with long hair and bifurcated tails, entwined with foliage and each holding a flower garland, the upper rim moulded with cascading water alternating with gilt scallop shells (one nereid handle with left arm and hand restored and one tail fin replaced, the other handle with left arm broken and restored and one tail fin restored, restoration to crayfish tail and one shell, restored chip to cartouche, small chips and minor restoration to reeds, flowers and foliage, slight wear to gilding)
8 in. (20.4 cm.) high, 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide
Provenance
Heinrich Count Brühl, Schloss Pförten.
Brought to you by
Matilda Burn
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