A rare and extensive Doccia Ginori porcelain dinner service, circa 1780-1810

painted in puce camaieu with Italianate landscapes (con paesaggi in porpora) on root vignettes, surrounded by gilt sprig bands, the borders with gilt and blue 'sliced egg' motifs (a uova tagliate), comprising: a pair of large urn-shaped tureens and covers (a sepolcro), 36.8 cm. wide, ca. 40 cm. high; an oval tureen and cover with putto finial, 31.5 cm. wide; a pair of large lobed monteiths (rinfrescatoio sbaccellato), 34 cm. wide; a pair of monteiths with crenelated rim, 29.2 cm. wide; a pair of sauceboats and stands; a cruet stand (portampolle) with double-face finial; twenty-five oval dishes in four sizes, 24.5-35 cm. wide; twenty shell-shaped dishes (marescialla) in four sizes, 20.5-34.7 cm. wide; six square dishes; thirteen bowls in five sizes, 20.2-31.5 cm. diam; a pair of liners; sixteen circular dishes in three sizes, 29.7-36 cm. diam.; twenty-eight soup plates; 141 plates in four sizes, 20.5-26.3 cm. diam.; a few items with puce g, gilt star or impressed letters; some damages, chips and wear (266)

Paleis Het Loo, Paleis Noordeinde, Paleis Lange Voorhout; Koningin Emma

Please note that the oval tureen, one bowl (23.2 cm. diam.), 14 plates (22 cm. diam) and 10 plates (20.5 cm. diam.) are probably of a slightly later date, circa 1830-40 (these items are not covered with a tin-glaze). Detailed description of the service: -a pair of large urn-shaped tureens and covers (a sepolcro), 36.8 cm. wide, ca. 40 cm. high; -an oval tureen and cover with putto finial, 31.5 cm. wide; -a pair of large lobed monteiths (rinfrescatoio sbaccellato), 34 cm. wide; -a pair of monteiths with crenelated rim, 29.2 cm. wide; -a pair of sauceboats and stands; -a cruet stand (portampolle) with double-face finial; -six oval dishes, 34-35 cm. wide; -five oval dishes, ca. 29.8-31.1 cm. wide; -ten oval dishes, ca. 27.5-28.4 cm. wide; -four oval dishes, ca. 24.5-25.1 cm. wide; -a pair of shell-shaped dishes (marescialla) 34.7 cm. wide; -six en suite, 28.6-30.8 cm. wide ; -six en suite, 24.2 -24.7 cm. wide; -six en suite 20.5 cm. wide; -six square dishes, ca. 21 cm. wide; -a pair of large bowls, 31.5 cm. diam.; -a bowl, 27.2 cm. diam.; -three bowls, 22.7-23.2 cm. diam; -two bowls, ca. 21.3 cm. diam.; -five bowls, 20.2-20.4 cm. diam.; -a pair of liners, 17,2 cm. diam.; -a pair of circular dishes, 36 cm. diam.; -four circular dishes, 32.5 cm. diam.; -ten circular dishes, 29.7 cm. diam.; -twenty-eight soup plates; -sixteen plates, 26.3 cm. diam.; -ninety-six dinner plates, circa 24.5-25 cm. diam.; -nineteen plates, 22 cm. diam.; -ten plates, 20.5 cm. diam.; Total 266 items. The general impression of this extensive service is very good. The puce painting is of very good quality. There are some variations is the hues of purple and overall minor firing irregularities to the glaze. Condition: Overall in good condition, with some usual rubbing to the gilding and minor usual wear to the glaze. -One large tureen with a horizontal hairline crack at the lower point of attachment of a loop of one handle. One cover with a hairline crack to the top of the finial ring. -The oval tureen with one handle lacking; to one side of the upper rim a restuck fragment (ca. 2.5 cm wide) and on the other side a chipped section (ca. 3 cm. wide) with two restuck fragments; on the body a line from gilding running through the puce scene. The cover with a chip to the inner rim (ca. 1 cm. wide). -The pair of large lobed monteiths with some wear to the extremities of the handles. -One of the pair of monteiths with crenelated rim with a hairline crack to the border (ca. 6 cm.), one loop of one handle with a small hairline crack at the lower point of attachment and a chip (ca. 0.7 x 1.2 cm.) to the foot rim. -The cruet stand with a small hairline crack (ca. 3 cm.) to the inside of the upper border of one well (not visible on outside). -Two oval dishes (ca. 29.8-31.1 cm. wide) with more wear to the gilding and the glaze. -Of the ten oval dishes (ca. 27.5-28.4 cm. wide): one with a rim chip (ca. 0.4 x 0.7 cm.), a chip (ca. 0.7 x 0.9 cm.) to the underside of the rim and one to the foot rim; one with firing irregularity to part of the gilt rim; one with a T-shape thin hairline crack to the center. -The shell-shaped dishes overall with some usual glaze wear to the ribs. Of the six (24.2 -24.7 cm. wide): one with a rim chip (ca. 0.5 x 1.9 cm.); one with a shallow chip (ca. 0.5 x 0.8 cm.) to the rim. -Of the three bowls (22.7-23.2 cm. diam): one with a small star-shaped hairline crack to the center and a small shallow rim chip (ca. 0.2 x 0.5 cm.); the other with some more wear to the gilding; the third with some brown staining to the border (from gilding). -A deep bowl (ca. 21.3 cm. diam.) with some shallow rim chips. -One of five bowls (20.2-20.4 cm. diam.) with some loss to the puce enamel, probably from firing. -One dish (36 cm. diam.) with a rim chip. -Of the ten dishes (29.7 cm. diam.): one with two restuck border fragments; two with a rim chip. -The soup plates overall with slight wear to the inner gilt rim: one with a small shallow chip (ca. 0.2 x 0.4 cm.) to the underside of the rim; circa two with some more wear of the blue dotted gilt band; two with a minute rim chip (ca. 0.1 x 0.3 cm.); one with wear to the gilt rim, some glaze irregularities and a small crack to the border (ca. 3 cm.); one with a chip (ca. 0.5 x 0.5 cm.) to the underside of the rim and a related small hairline crack (ca. 1 cm.). -Of the 16 plates circa 5 with more wear; one with a hairline crack to the border. -Of the 96 dinner plates: circa three with a rim chip; circa eight with a chip to the reverse of the rim; two with center hairline cracks and chips; circa six with a center hairline crack; circa five with border hairline cracks; two with more wear to the gilding. -Of the 19 nineteen plates: one with two chips to the reverse of the rim; two with center hairline cracks. -Of the ten plates: two with a center hairline cracks.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1881 the service was transferred from the inventory of Koning Willem III to Koningin Emma. The 1887-inventory of the property of the Queen in Palace Het Loo lists the service as "Een Tafelservies, Italiaansch porcelain" ("A table service, Italian porcelain"; KHA inv. E10a-Vc-31). On request of Koningin Emma the service was sent to Palace Noordeinde in November 1896: "Op last van H H de Koningin Regentes verzonden naar den Haag Nov:1896". In the 20th century a selection of dishes from the service was displayed in the porcelain cabinet in the dining room of Palace Lange Voorhout (illustrated on p. 57 of the printed catalogue).

Most items of this service are applied with a tin-glaze, characteristic of the Doccia porcelain produced after circa 1760-65. The puce decoration of the Doccia manufactory was inspired by Vienna (Du Paquier) porcelain. Fine details are additionally incised to the foliage and shrubbery. A beaker vase with similar type of decoration in the collection of the Museo delle Porcellane di Doccia is illustrated in R. Monti, La manifattura Richard-Ginori di Doccia, Rome 1988, p. 69, fig. 90.