A CHINESE EXPORT 'FÊTE CHAMPÊTRE' TEABOWL AND SAUCER circa 1740

each painted with a Teniers-type scene of four peasants playing cards and smoking at a table while a fifth raises his goblet and grasps the serving girl holding a large jug, in the foreground or on the reverse a rooster strutting among hens and chicks.  The teabowl with touched-up chips and two hair cracks; the saucer rim with a repaired area

The collection of Hazel J. Collins, sold, Christie's, New York, February 2, 1991, lot 102

San Francisco, Fall Antiques Show, 1995

Teabowl with 3mm restored chip on rim above a distant tree issuing a 3/4-inch haircrack, tiny area of beveling to edge, a faint 3/8 inch haircrack over the man in the brown hat; saucer with a crescent (2 1/8 x 3/4-inch) repaired from 3:30 to 5:30, 1mm chip under the rim edge at 10:30, gilding worn completely from rim edge.
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 note affixed to the bottom of the saucer is inscribed "A VERY RARE Eggshell c.&s. painted with a European design from a drawing by Francesco ALBANI (1578-1660) in the Turin Gallery...Price 15 Gns."

A plate with this decoration is illustrated by Hyde, p. 90, pl. XVI, fig. 58; and a grisaille version is illustrated by Howard and Ayers, Vol. II, p. 372, no. 366, who comment on p. 373 that it is "after an engraving in the style of David Teniers [II's (1610-90)] 'Fêtes Champêtres'."  The authors also point out that, like other Teniers subjects depicted on Chinese export porcelain, such as 'Le Pêcheur' (see lot 154), this scene also appears in two other palettes: grisaille and rose camaïeu. An example of the latter, an elaborately bordered plate in rose camaïeu, is illustrated by Hyde, Silva and Malta, p. 81, pl. XXVII.

A similarly decorated coffee cup is illustrated by Litzenburg and Bailey, p. 160, no. 152 and 152a, b; and a differently bordered plate and a saucer similar to that in this lot are illustrated by Hervouët and Bruneau, p. 99, nos. 4.57 and 4.58, respectively.  A set of three teabowls and saucers of the present type, sold at Sotheby's in Monte Carlo on February 9, 1981, lot 957, were in the collection of Dr. Anton C. R. Dreesmann, sold at Christie's in London on April 10, 2002, lot 471.