A Sèvres biscuit 'surtout de table' or suite of Five table sculptures of hunting subjects biscuit figures dated 1879-80, bases dated 1860-79

modelled after paintings byJean-Baptiste Oudry, comprising a centrepiece Chasse au sanglier, the boar held at bay by two hounds, a Valet de chiens group of a dog handler with two hounds, another group of a handler with a horn and hounds Valet de chiens au cor,  a model of a hunter priming his gun Chasseur au fusil, a model of a hunter blowing his horn Chasseur au cor, and two further examples of these last two models in French biscuit porcelain, all models with Sèvres shaped blue ground bases gilded with hunting trophies and crowned monograms,

For a detailed discussion of all the models in the surtout, see Tamara Préaud, Porcelaines du Musée Condé à Chantilly, 2005, no. 28.  For the models see Emile Bourgeois, Le Biscuit de Sèvres au XVIIIème siècle, 1909, plate  20 nos. 603 Valet de chiens, 604 Valet de chiens au cor and 133 Chasse au sanglier, and plate 21 nos. 135 Chassuer au fusil no. 1 and 186 Chasseur au cor.  Bourgeois states that the sculptor Pierre Blondeau was responsible for the models, however Préaud questions there is no evidence in the Sèvres archives.

The marked model of the huntsman with a gun has restoration to the barrel of the gun. The same model which is unmarked has a loss to the end of the gun which is also restored. The large group of the dog handler with a horn has had a crack around his left leg above the knee joint, the leg has possibly been broken and restored. The marked model of the hunt attendant with a horn has a small re-painted area near to the rim of a fold in his jacket to the rear, presumably intended to repair a chip or flake, the unmarked version of the same model has a chip under the brim of his hat. One large oval base appears to have been restored. It also has two small chips to the inner edge of the footrim under the base.
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The models in this surtout de table are after Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755). Rare glazed examples of similar animal groups are known in Vincennes porcelain. For the early Vincennes version of the Chasse au sanglier group see Christies, 6th October 1986, lot 258. The models were adapted and added to during the early 1770s at the Sèvres factory.  The only recorded purchase of the three centrepieces, Chasse au cerf, Chasse au loup and Chasse au sanglier was by King Louis XV in 1776.  The first mention of the additional figure groups found here was in a list of biscuit sculpture dated 1787.  A new edition of the surtout was ordered by the duc d'Aumale in the 1840s and it remains today in the Château de Chantilly (Musée Condé).  During the 1870s the Sèvres factory produced further sets of the surtout for display in French embassies around the world, or to be offered as diplomatic gifts and prizes.  An example of the Valet de chiens group was sold in these rooms, 1st July 1985, lot 6.

Bases' measurements and printed marks: large rectangular base 47.5cm wide, S79 and Doré a Sèvres 79, two large oval bases, 40.3cm wide, S78 and Doré à Sèvres 78, 4 small oval bases 26.7-27.5cm wide, one with S59 and Doré à Sèvres 60 crowned N mark, one with S75 and Doré à Sèvres 79, one with S79 and Doré à Sèvres, 79, and one with S60 and Doré à Sèvres 75