According to David Peters’ book Sèvres Plates and Services of the 18th Century, pieces of this design with blue cornflower sprays within a garlands of puce beads were made in 1788 and bought by Marie-Thérèse de Savoie, Comtesse d’Artois.
These dishes offered in the October 12 Homes & Interiors live online sale in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, were probably among pieces from the service sold at Christie’s in 1885.
Madame du Barry order
A group lot offered by Hannams (23% buyer’s premium) in Selborne, Hampshire, on November 3 with an estimate of just £30-50 included a single ‘Sèvres style’ plate decorated with garlands of roses entwined within a turquoise ribbon.
The hammer price was £2000. With the date letter R for 1770 and painter’s mark for Jean Jacques Pierre II (1763-98), this plate is probably from a ‘service à rubans Bleu Celeste’ that was first ordered by Madame du Barry via her banquier, Jean-Baptiste Buffault in December 1769 and later resold to a buyer in England.
The decoration became particular popular here and three other services of this type were made for export between 1770-75, including one delivered to John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset.
Several similar plates have appeared for sale on the London and New York markets, while Woolley & Wallis sold an ice cup (tasse à glace) for £900 as part of the Judith Howard Collection in February 2020.
