A CHINESE EXPORT TEACUP AND SAUCER circa 1785

each painted with a fox hunting scene, the cup depicting 'In Full Chase' with the huntsmen and hounds in pursuit of the fleeing fox, and the saucer with 'The Death of the Fox' depicting the participants gathered around the dismounted huntsman holding the fox, the interior rim of each with a flowering vine border.  Hair crack and small chips.

J. A. Lloyd Hyde, New York City, 1951
Property of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, Virginia, sold, Sotheby's, New York, January 23, 1992, lot 330

Norfolk, Virginia, the Chrysler Museum, Chinese Export in Tidewater Virginia Collections, 1974
Williamsburg, Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg, the Brush-Everard House, and the Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Gallery
San Francisco, Fall Antiques Show, 1995

Gilding worn completely from edge of cup, inner edge of cup rim with a 4mm chip at the front and beside it is a 3mm fracture issuing a 5/8 inch haircrack; saucer with wear to gilding on the edge, contiguous 1mm and 2mm frits at 10:30, an original 1mm bubble chip at 12 o'clock and a 4mm frit at 5 o'clock issuing a 1/4-inch haircrack, saucer footrim probably originally slightly ground down.
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 pair of salt cellars decorated with the arms of May of London and Sussex, and painted in the well with the same scene as on the present saucer, is illustrated by Howard and Ayers, Vol. I, p. 281, no. 279, who note that it was taken from "Print IV of 'The Death of the Fox' [engraved by James] Roberts (1725-99) after [the painting by] James Seymour" (1702-52), and who illustrate a series of four prints after Seymour, ibid., p. 282, no. 280a: 'Going out in the Morning,' and p. 283, nos. 280b: 'Brushing into Cover,' 280c: 'In Full Chace' [sic], and 280d: 'The Death of the Fox.'  One of those salt cellars and the four prints were in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, sold in these rooms on October 19, 2000, lots 222 and 225, respectively.  A plate from the May armorial service, showing the scene more clearly, is illustrated by Fuchs, p. 75, no. 37; and Howard 1997, p. 117, no. 142; and a scalloped oval dish without the arms is illustrated by Beurdeley, p. 183, cat. 145.

It is clear that the scene on the cup is based on Print III of the aforementioned series of prints.  An identical teacup and saucer were in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. George Fenimore Johnson, sold in these rooms on January 19, 2008, lot 62