A CHINESE EXPORT MYTHOLOGICAL LARGE COFFEE POT AND COVER circa 1745-50

painted on one side with 'The Judgment of Paris,' depicting Paris seated by his recumbent hound, supporting a staff in his right hand and offering the golden apple in his extended left hand to Venus flanked by Juno and her peacock and a lushly draped Minerva with Cupid seated at her feet above flowering plants, the reverse with a tall tree painted between the perpendicularly-set faceted spout and loop handle, the rim with a gilt flowering and fruiting vine border, and the cover painted with the recumbent hound, the strutting peacock and the tall tree amidst flowering plants above a gilt cup-and-ball border around the rim. 

The collection of the Earl of Radnor, sold, Christie's, London, June 23, 1975, lot 21
The collection of Lois F. and Henry S. McNeil, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, sold, Christie's, New York, October 14, 1999, lot 50

End of coffee pot spout with some discoloration (possibly restored?), spout with 1" firing crack at top of join to body, handle with a 2" firing crack down its spine that extends into what may be glaze cracks along the length of the interior and exterior of the handle, two minor footrim chps; cover good other than wear to minor wear to the gilding on the knop.
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.

Howard 1994, p. 180, no. 205, who illustrates a 'Judgment of Paris' fluted teabowl and saucer, notes that "this was perhaps the most popular European design on Chinese porcelain during the 1740s, and there are at least six different borders or variations of the scene which allowed the innocent painting of beautiful naked ladies."  This decoration appears predominantly on plates with a gilt shell-and-foliate-scroll border, circa 1750-1755, an example of which is illustrated by Litzenburg and Bailey, p. 193, no. 192, who observe that "the most famous depiction of this scene [taken from Book XXIV of Homer's Iliad] is the c. 1517-20 engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1470-1527/34) after drawings by Raphael (1483-1520).  Closely copied on sixteenth-century Italian maiolica, the Raimondi engraving probably served as the inspiration for the version" reproduced on Chinese export porcelain.

Other plates of that type are illustrated by Beurdeley, p. 179, cats. 130 and 131 (an example on which the goddesses have had clothing added probably in Holland); Godden, p. 228, pl. 144; Hyde, p. 80, pl. XIV, fig. 43; Wirgin, p. 187, no. 210; Veiga, pp. 112 and 113, pls. 81 and 82, who also illustrates two other versions: one with four panels of shipping scenes on the rim, p. 114, pl. 83, and another in rose camaïeu, p. 115, pl. 84; and Lunsingh Scheurleer, pl. 225, who also illustrates in pl. 226 a plate with four shipping panels on the rim.  Jörg 1989, p. 169, no. 60, illustrates a plate with a gilt spearhead border, and on p. 171, no. 61, another rose camaïeu example.  Hervouët and Bruneau, p. 310, nos. 13.71-13.73, 13.75 and 13.76, illustrate five plates of this subject variously bordered, and an unbordered saucer from a tea service, no. 13.74.  Howard and Ayers, Vol. I, p. 329, no. 324, illustrate a gilt blossom and foliate-scroll-bordered coffee cup and saucer, circa 1740, from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, sold in these rooms on October 19, 2000, lot 237.

This coffee pot is a rare form for wares of this period with European subject decoration.  At first glance, it would appear that its cover must be married, as it is differently bordered from the pot itself.  However, the decoration on the cover represents four secondary motifs from the pot, and the border differences may be explained by the remainder of the coffee service having both borders on its components.

Besides this coffee pot, most unusual among wares with this decoration is an oval barber's bowl with a gilt rocaillerie border, illustrated by Lange, p. 165, no. 52.