Meissen - E.A

Meissen desk set from the second half of the 19th century, composed of four coordinated pieces and decorated with the historic Tischchenmuster pattern, associated with the Indianische Blumen floral repertoire and the Japanese ornamental tradition Kakiemon. The combination of white porcelain, polychrome painting, vegetal friezes, and gilded details, together with the functional variety of the pieces, constitutes a representative example of the era of Ernst August Leuteritz. Leuteritz was responsible for the artistic and modelling department during much of the second half of the 19th century, and his work in recovering and reinterpreting numerous historical models to adapt them to the historicist taste of the time contributed to the renewal and continuity of Meissen’s ornamental repertoires. DESCRIPTION OF THE SET Four-piece desk set made in glazed porcelain and decorated with polychrome painting and gilded highlights. The set comprises a rectangular tray to hold the accessories, a circular inkwell with a lid, a sand shaker with perforated lid, and a rectangular box with a lid. The pieces feature sinuous profiles and scalloped contours, with a coordinated configuration in both their forms and their decoration. The tray, of rectangular plan and a wavy raised edge, has two recessed circular housings intended to receive the containers. The inkwell has a circular body and lid; the sand shaker incorporates a perforated covering with regular holes to distribute the drying powder over the writing. The rectangular box, equipped with a fitted lid, allows small writing tools to be stored. The functional conception of the pieces, together with the richness of their ornamentation, responding to the taste for refined desk objects that characterized European decorative arts of the 19th century. DECORATION: HAND-PAINTED POLYCHROME PAINTING, Tischchenmuster AND KAKIEMON INSPIRATION Decoration entirely hand-painted, with polychrome enamels and gilded highlights on a white porcelain background, following the historic Tischchenmuster pattern from Meissen, known as Little Table Pattern and part of Meissen’s historical repertoires inspired by Asian sources. The combination of glazed porcelain, manual polychrome painting, and gilded ornamentation gives the set its visual richness and constitutes one of its main artistic values. The composition centers on the characteristic motif of a small ornamental table before a lattice or stylized railing, with large flowers and foliage rising behind it. The ornamental scheme is enriched with motifs from the Indianische Blumen floral repertoire, typical of the Japanese decorative tradition Kakiemon and Imari, reinterpreted by the Saxon manufactory. Manual painting is evident in the articulation of the petals, the tracing of the leaves and stems, the outlines of the motifs, and the distribution of colors. The surfaces are finished with reddish vegetal borders, gilded fillets, and decorative gold details that emphasize the profiles and enhance the scalloped contours of the pieces. MAKERS’ MARKS AND QUALITY All bases bear the crossed-swords-with-pommel mark. The marks on the bases show variations in intensity and wear, especially on the supporting pieces. The First Quality classification rests on the inspection of the bases and the absence of abrasion-removal marks associated with Second Quality pieces. DIMENSIONS • Tray: 21 × 13 cm. • Rectangular box with lid: 9 × 6 × 3.5 cm. CONDITION The set is in excellent conservation condition, with no cracks, fractures, losses, or restorations. The polychrome decoration retains its vibrancy, and the gilded highlights show minimal wear. ADDITIONAL NOTES: ** The photographs form part of the description. ** The indicated final measurements and weight correspond to the configuration of a secure packaging, indispensable to ensure proper protection of the set during transport.

Estimate:£355.97

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