Bidspirit auction | Pair Large Pompadour Crested Dishes

Pair Large Pompadour Crested Dishes - Large pair of Chinese export ”Pompadour” pattern dishes, ca. 1760. The center decorated with a peony, daisy, and lotus sprays. The rim with seed pods flanking cartouches enclosing either a eagle crest with a crown alternating with a fish. Illustrated in Howard, ”Choice of the Private Trader, ” pg. 89, no. 76 (left). Loan: Minneapolis Institute of Art, 1975, L75.151.15. Provenance: Philip Suval Inc., 5 January 1973; The Distinguished Collection of Leo & Doris Hodroff. Lot Essay: There is a similar service in blue and white and both this and the blue set have been ascribed to Madame de Pompadour. This comes from the presence of the fish and eagle: Poisson was her maiden name and the eagle was a symbol of King Louis XV. Though this is somewhat unlikely, there is no other obvious interpretation of these symbols. Undoubtedly this was a private order of considerable importance as this service contained rare and unique jars, vases, jugs, tureens, and other pieces. Though most likely French, the true original owner remains unclear. (Each) diameter: 11 1/4 in. Condition: There are two hairline cracks along the rim of one plate extending inwards towards the center. There are some small chips to the footrims.