A CHINESE EXPORT 'LE PRINTEMPS' TEABOWL AND A 'SAILOR'S FAREWELL' TEA CANISTER AND COVER circa 1740 and 1755

the teabowl painted with a continuous scene depicting on the front a gentleman holding a spade in his left hand, his right arm around the shoulders of his sweetheart holding a basket of flowers, and on the reverse a lady watering flowering plants, the rim edged in gilding; and the canister painted with a couple embracing beneath a tree, the gentleman pointing toward a Dutch ship in the distance, behind them a town, and the cover with low shrubbery.  The teabowl with a hair crack on the rim; and the cover rim with a chip.

(the teabowl) The collection of Margaret H. Davis, New York, sold, Sotheby's, New York, October 24, 1986, lot 88
(the teabowl) Hyde Park Antiques, Ltd., New York
(the tea canister) The Property of a West Coast Collector, sold, Christie's, New York, June 24, 1980, lot 95

(the tea canister) London, A Tale of Three Cities, 1997, no. 137

(the tea canister) David S. Howard, A Tale of Three Cities: Canton, Shanghai & Hong Kong, p. 113, no. 137

Wear to gilding on the edge of teabowl, a 1 1/4" haircrack running through the tree. Teacaddy with wear to gilding around foot; cover with 3/8-inch firing chip enameled over with original enamels, gilding to knop worn, knop surrounded by firing crack.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A bowl with this 'Le Printemps' ('The Spring') decoration more closely resembling the juxtaposition of the figures in the eponymous original engraving by Nicolas de Larmessin IV (1684-1753) after a drawing by Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743), is illustrated by Beurdeley, p. 55, fig. 30, who also illustrates in fig. 31 the engraving.  A tea canister and a detail of the full decoration are illustrated by Hyde, Silva and Malta, p. 87, pls. XXXI and XXXII; another tea canister and spoon tray with this subject are illustrated by Lunsingh Scheurleer, pls. 209 and 210, who also illustrates in pl. 209 the engraving; and a saucer is illustrated by Hervouët and Bruneau, p. 164, no. 7.65, who illustrate on p. 411, no. 17.1 a and p. 410, no. 17.1 b the front and reverse of a Chinese Export plate later decorated with this subject.  A 'Le Printemps' teabowl and saucer were sold in these rooms on October 14, 1993, lot 130.

In his comments on the tea canister in this lot, Howard (see Literature above) notes that in this sentimental scene the sailor always "points to his ship with one hand while a cane is upright in the other," and in this case "the faces are expressive, although it is not always so, and the tree, the church, and the houses...are all well painted." A plate with the same version of the 'Sailor's Farewell' is illustrated by Hervouët and Bruneau, p. 55, no. 2.48.  This must have been a universally popular theme (see the note to lot 195), as versions exist with ships flying Dutch, British, Danish and Portuguese flags.  Bowls on which the ship flies a Union Jack are illustrated by Hyde, p. 93, pl. XVII, fig. 64, and by Litzenburg and Bailey, p. 208, no. 209.  A coffee pot illustrated by Grandjean, fig. 65, Kat. 48, depicts a ship flying Danish flags; and a coffee cup and saucer illustrated by Veiga, p. 163, pl. 134 depict the ship flying a flag with the arms of Portugal.  An identical tea canister in a six-piece part tea service was in the Garbisch Collection, sold by Sotheby Parke Bernet at "Pokety Farms" in Cambridge, Maryland on May 22, 1980, lot 304.