A VIENNA PORCELAIN ASSEMBLED PART DINNER SERVICE CIRCA 1750

each piece painted with a large colorful flower spray and scattered sprigs within a basket-molded border on the shaped rim, comprising: an oval soup tureen, cover and stand, two circular platters in sizes, two circular dishes, two triangular dishes, a square-shaped dish, seven soup plates and fifteen dinner plates, impressed shield marks or shield marks painted in underglaze-blue, various impressed marks, numerals and letters. Minor chips and haircracks. 32 pieces.

Sold, Christie's, London, February 24, 1997, lot 429

Oval soup tureen and cover - one handle with a 1/8-inch (4-mm.) chip on the front of the central leaf tip, and the other with two 1/8-inch (4-mm.) chips on the leaf tip; the interior rim edge with a shallow 3/8-inch (1-cm.) chip, possibly original; the footrim with a few 1/16-inch (1-mm.) chips; and the green enamel with flaking, particularly on the rose leaves. The cover with a shallow 1-mm. and 4-mm. chip on the edges of the petals of the knop; otherwise good, but with a stray dot of underglaze-blue at one end. Oval tureen stand - good condition, but with some black speckles and pinprick holes, and also with a little wear on the fluted areas. 13 13/16-inch circular dish - some scuffing of the glaze on the outer edge of the rim, and slight wear and scratching in the center, but otherwise good. 12 3/4-inch circular dish - good other than three very small chips to the blue enamel in the iris. Pair of 10 1/8-inch dishes - good; each with extremely slight wear. Square dish: good other than some small flakes to the blue and green enamel; and the glaze missing from areas under the rim (an original condition, but of no consequence). The center of the dish has sunk slightly in the kiln and as a result, because there is no footrim, it does not sit squarely. Pair of triangular dishes: both in good condition, but both with tiny flakes to the blue enamel, and the rose and narcissus dish with a little stacking wear in the rose stem. Both with probably original chips on the edge of the base (where the glaze rim meets the unglazed bottom, but these are of no consequence. Seven soup plates - all with minor wear or scratching in the center from use, and some with strangely dry and almost flaky glaze in the center. One with a 3/8 and 1/4 inch (1-cm. and 6-mm.) chip beside each other under the rim edge at 10:30 o'clock. Two with a 5/16-inch (9-mm.) chip under the rim edge at 1:30 or 9 o'clock. Four in good condition, but one of those (the iron-red lily plate) with a 1/4-inch (6-mm.) chip on the footrim. Fifteen plates - all in generally good condition, with mostly minor wear, scratching or flaking of the enamels in the center from use or stacking wear. However, five have particularly noticeable wear or flaking, and of those one has a 1/8-inch (4-mm.) chip under the rim at 9 o'clock; one with a 5/16-inch (9-mm.) under the rim at 1:30 o'clock issuing a 1 1/4-inch (3-cm.) hair crack through the iron-red floral sprig; one has a 1/8-inch (4-mm.) flaw-chip on the edge at 2 o'clock resulting in a 1/2-inch (1.3-cm.) fracture on the upper edge, and this plate also with a 1-inch (2.5-cm.) hair crack across the footrim at 10 o'clock, not showing through to the front; one has a 2 1/4-in section of the footrim chipped; and one has a 1/4-inch (9-mm.) firing crack on the edge at 12 o'clock.
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.