拍品专文
Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony
Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, who was later to become Frederick Augustus I, King of Saxony, was the eldest surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony and his wife Princess Maria Antonia of Bavaria. His father had succeeded in 1763 but died only three months later. As Frederick Augustus III had not yet come of age, a regency was set up with his mother and his uncle sharing the role of Regent until 1768 when Frederick turned 18.
Frederick married, in 1769, the Countess Palatine Maria Amalia Augusta of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, sister of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. During their marriage, Amalia gave birth to four children, but only one daughter survived to adulthood. Fredrick Augustus was created King of Saxony in 1806 and Duke of Warsaw in 1807. When he died in 1827 without male heir he was succeeded as King of Saxony by his brother Anton.
The 'FA' in Shield Service
In commissioning the so called 'Silver Service with FA in Shield' Frederick was following in the footsteps of his grandfather Frederick Augustus III, King of Poland (1699-1763) who lavished large amounts of money on commissions for the Saxon Royal collection. As King of Poland for example his grandfather had ordered the 'Doppelt Matt Vergoldete Service, using existing silver from the Dresden hofsilberkammer for its creation (Christie's, London, 16 November 2010, lot 351). The 'Silver Service with FA in Shield', named after the engraved initials under the base, was initially ordered in 1772 and added to at various times during the remainder of the 18th century. The inventory of the court silver prepared in 1774 records nearly 50 categories of objects and gives an idea of how extensive the service was. For example it records that 200 tafelteller (dishes for the table) were ordered from Carl David Schrödel in 1772, with a further 164 ordered in 1780 and another 36 in 1782. As Carl David Schrödel had died in 1773 these later orders were undertaken by his sons and widow, who carried on working for the court at Dresden.
Frederick Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, who was later to become Frederick Augustus I, King of Saxony, was the eldest surviving son of Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony and his wife Princess Maria Antonia of Bavaria. His father had succeeded in 1763 but died only three months later. As Frederick Augustus III had not yet come of age, a regency was set up with his mother and his uncle sharing the role of Regent until 1768 when Frederick turned 18.
Frederick married, in 1769, the Countess Palatine Maria Amalia Augusta of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, sister of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. During their marriage, Amalia gave birth to four children, but only one daughter survived to adulthood. Fredrick Augustus was created King of Saxony in 1806 and Duke of Warsaw in 1807. When he died in 1827 without male heir he was succeeded as King of Saxony by his brother Anton.
The 'FA' in Shield Service
In commissioning the so called 'Silver Service with FA in Shield' Frederick was following in the footsteps of his grandfather Frederick Augustus III, King of Poland (1699-1763) who lavished large amounts of money on commissions for the Saxon Royal collection. As King of Poland for example his grandfather had ordered the 'Doppelt Matt Vergoldete Service, using existing silver from the Dresden hofsilberkammer for its creation (Christie's, London, 16 November 2010, lot 351). The 'Silver Service with FA in Shield', named after the engraved initials under the base, was initially ordered in 1772 and added to at various times during the remainder of the 18th century. The inventory of the court silver prepared in 1774 records nearly 50 categories of objects and gives an idea of how extensive the service was. For example it records that 200 tafelteller (dishes for the table) were ordered from Carl David Schrödel in 1772, with a further 164 ordered in 1780 and another 36 in 1782. As Carl David Schrödel had died in 1773 these later orders were undertaken by his sons and widow, who carried on working for the court at Dresden.