A CHINESE EXPORT TEAPOT STAND FROM WILLIAM EUSTIS'S SECOND 'ORDER OF THE CINCINNATI' SERVICE CIRCA 1795

painted with two winged trumpeting cherubs suspending between them the badge of the Society of the Cincinnati within a narrow gilt-starred blue enamel border at the rim.

Gordon, 1977, p. 128, pl. 116

Has been broken into two piece and riveted back together with four brass rivets in the back. There are very small areas of loss at the beginning and end of the break, but otherwise it is very clean.
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.

The Society of the Cincinnati was founded in May 1783 for commissioned officers who had served in the Continental Army or Navy during the American Revolution. The founder, Major General Henry Knox (1750-1806), worked with his aide-de-camp, Major Samuel Shaw (1754-1794) to develop and promote the society, whose badge of membership was designed by Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant (1754-1825). The badge took the form of a medal, and was the obvious choice to decorate the porcelain which Samuel Shaw subsequently commissioned from China for members of the Society. Shaw was supercargo in 1784 on the 'Empress of China', the first American ship to trade directly with China. The 'Pallas', the second American ship to trade directly with China returned in 1785 with a large quantity of porcelain decorated with the badge of the Cincinnati, which was the service which eventually ended up with Henry Lee and George Washington. In addition to owning his own services and other wares, Samuel Shaw gave sets of porcelain decorated with the badge of the Society to at least six close friends, including William Eustis, David Townsend, Benjamin Lincoln, William Lithgow, Henry Knox and Constant Freeman. For a full discussion of the various Cincinnati services see John Quentin Feller, The Society of the Cincinnati 1783-1983, the catalogue of an exhibition held at the Peabody Essex Museum of Salem, May-September 1983.

William Eustis (1753-1825) has the distinction of owning two different services decorated with the badge of the Society of the Cincinnati, both of which are discussed by Feller, 1983, p. 7, who noted that nine surviving pieces of the set were then known, including the present piece. One of these, a coffee cup, was sold in these rooms, January 30, 1980, lot 79; and a saucer, previously unrecorded and bringing the surviving piece count to ten, was also sold in these rooms, January 31, 1985, lot 301. The remaining pieces, aside from a waste bowl in a private collection, are all in public collections.