An assembled pair of Meissen figures of pug dogs circa 1745

modelled by J. J. Kändler, seated to the left or right on later giltwood stands, with black muzzles and brown fur, the bitch suckling her puppy, wearing a puce collar with gilt bells and a blue bow at the back, the dog wearing a gilt collar, the oval mound bases applied with flowers and leaves, the bitch suckling her puppy with faint crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue (some restoration and small chips)

Olive, Lady Baillie, Lowndes House, London (dining room), acquired from Landsborough, 23rd June 1950; the giltwood stands acquired from Jansen, 13th January 1958

Dog- restoration to tail. Bitch- tail restored back on.Minor restoration to right ear. Both with some chips to applied flowers and leaves.
"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."

As early as the late-sixteenth century pugs were being brought from China to Europe as exotic pets and references to them were documented in various European sources. It is, however, from the early eighteenth century onwards that they existed as popular companions of the European aristocracy and were immortalized in numerous contemporary paintings of the time.
Pugs, as loyal and reliable animals, were chosen as the symbol of the secret society, 'Order of the Pugs' (Mopsorden), formed by the elector of Cologne, Clemens Augustus, in 1738 as a response to the Papal ban on freemasonry. Augustus III, who was an active member of the Mopsorden, commissioned  Johann Joachim Kändler to model porcelain figures or groups of pugs in the 1740s. Often referred as the Mopsmorden groups, Meissen models incorporated pugs in various compositions including ladies holding pugs or pugs appearing from beneath their dresses, which served as satirical allusions to this society. The 'Order of the Pugs' unlike other fraternities, such as the freemasons, accepted female members and was intended for entertainment rather than encouragement of ethical deeds.