A Berlin tea and coffee service, circa 1800

finely painted with vignettes of figures from antiquity in brown monochrome, with bright green bands at the rims edged in gilding, comprising a coffee pot and cover, a teapot and cover, a hot water or milk jug and cover, a sugar bowl and cover, a slop bowl, two coffee cups, six teacups and 10 saucers, sceptre-marks in underglaze-blue, various incised marks and numerals, together with a Berlin cabinet cup and saucer, dated 1840, the cup with flared rim and high lion mask handle painted with a view of the old town hall of Bremen reserved within a gilded frame with the title ‘Eichel/InJena’, the saucer inscribed in black script 'Seinem Freunde Sinator/ Friedrich Wilhelm Heineken/ zur Erinerung/ an ihre gemeinschaftlichen Bestrebungen/ im Jahre 1840/ von J. Smidt.', sceptre marks in underglaze-blue, impressed numeral 8 to cup, the saucer 17.2cm., 6 ¾ in. diam.

Chip to foot edge of coffee pot and chip to edge of cover, finial re-tuck, teapot with restoration to spout tip, jug with chip to rim of cover. The slop bowl with a hairline crack to rim, One coffee cup cracked with associated loss, the other with faint hairline crack at rim, two teacups with hairline cracks, one saucer with rim chip, the saucers with some loss to gilding at well consistent with stacking. The porcelain cup and saucer with topographical view is probably Thuringian and by the Ilmenau factory.
"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."