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CHELSEA MECKLENBURG CRUET
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Print Details
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Request Details
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This item is no longer available
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Dates
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Circa 1763
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Medium
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Porcelain
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Origin
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England
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Description
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An extremely rare and important gold anchor Chelsea cruet with a perforated cover, the moulded borders of three delicate panels are painted in enamel colours with garlands of European flowers and scattered insects. The rich mazarine blue reserved panels are enriched with finely tooled gilt butterflies and other insects:
This dinner and dessert service, known as the Mecklenburg Service, was commissioned by King George III and Queen Charlotte, who presented it to her brother, Adolphus Frederick IV, Duke of Mecklenburg.
19cm High
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Condition
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Minor restoration to the finial.
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Literature
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This information from the Royal Collection Trust:
A soft paste, bone ash porcelain dinner and dessert service in the rococo style with 'Mazarine blue' ground and gilded decoration illustrated with birds and flowers. This exceptionally grand service was completed in March 1765; it marks a change in the custom of using silver to furnish dining tables by including ceramic candelabra and the large centrepiece although they retain metalwork shapes. This is not surprising given the manager of the Chelsea Porcelain Factory at the time was the silversmith Nicholas Sprimont (1716-71).
In October 1766 the traveller Thomas Nugent noticed among the other 'curiosities' in the palace at Neustrelitz "a complete service of Chelsea porcelane, rich and beautiful in fancy beyond expression. I really never saw any Dresden porcelane near so fine; her Majesty made a present of this choice collection to the Duke her brother". The Duke was Queen Charlotte's older brother, Adolphus Frederick IV, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1738-94).
There are 137 Chelsea pieces from this service in the Royal Collection with 5 replacement pieces from the Königliche Porzellan-Manufactur, Berlin.
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