basin; bowl-stand

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Object Type: basin; bowl-stand
Museum number: Franks.67
Description: Two-handled Basin and Cover, and shaped stand with handles; porcelain; circular design on each in gold with a central black eagle for Prussia; round the edge initials of a name, each letter beginning an inscription; in the spaces groups of Chinese figures painted in colours; maker's mark.
Producer name
School/style
Production date: 1730
Production place: Factory in: Meissen
Materials: porcelain; gold
Technique: painted; gilded; glazed
Dimensions: Diameter: 188 millimetres (bowl); Height: 131 millimetres (bowl inc knop); Length: 253 millimetres (bowl inc handles); Length: 283 millimetres (stand); Width: 159 millimetres (stand)
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: See The Hamilton Palace Collection sale catalogue, 14th day's sale, 17 July 1882, lot 1694, 'A fine ecuelle and cover, with openwork handles, on large two-handled stand with scalloped border, painted with Chinese figures and flowers, and with circular gilt medallions with an eagle in the centre, and inscriptions forming anagrams with the name Sophie.' This bowl was made for Sophia Dorothea, daughter of George I of England and wife of Frederick William I king of Prussia; married 1706, died 1757. Her inventory made in 1758 includes '38. eine auf der Konigin Geburts-Tag gemachte Suppen Schale mit der Unterschaale', which may denote the bowl, perhaps made for Sophia Dorothea's birthday. Her collection of over 1000 pieces of Meissen was left to her daughters.
Bibliographic references: Franks 1896 / Catalogue of a Collection of Continental Porcelain (67); Cassidy-Geiger 2002 / Meissen Porcelain for Sophia Dorothea of Prussia and the Exchange of Visits between the Kings of Poland and Prussia in 1728 (p. 139, fig. 15); Dawson 2005 / The Glory of Saxony: Meissen Porcelain in the British Museum (pp. 23-4, fig. 9); Wittwer 2007 / Liaisons fragiles- exchanges of gifts between Saxony and Prussia in the early eighteenth century (pp. 96-7, fig. 5-9)
Location: On display (G46/dc16)
Subjects
Associated names: Named in inscription: Sophia Dorothea; Associated with: George I, King of Great Britain; Associated with: Frederick William I, King of Prussia
Associated places: Emblem of: Prussia
Associated events: Designed for: Sophia's Dorothea's birthday when pregnant with her 14th and last child
Acquisition name
Previous owner
Acquisition date: 1897
Acquisition notes: For details of the Hamilton Palace sale, see Comment.
Department: Britain, Europe and Prehistory
Registration number: Franks.67
Additional IDs: Miscellaneous number: 1694 (Hamilton Palace Coll.no.)

Free entry

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