Style: Silver, Ceramics, Furniture
Style: Silver, Ceramics, Furniture
A RARE BÖTTGER RED-STONEWARE PEAR-SHAPED PILGRIM FLASK CIRCA 1715
Auction Closed
April 16, 08:57 PM GMT
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
THE COLLECTION OF MELINDA AND PAUL SULLIVAN
A RARE BÖTTGER RED-STONEWARE PEAR-SHAPED PILGRIM FLASK
CIRCA 1715
of flattened form, applied in low-relief on each side with a bouquet of flowers, the shoulders with a lion mask surmounted by a shell, their mouths pierced to support rings, the lower section molded in low relief with a stiff leaf band alternating with husks, beneath a band of flower rosettes, the neck with molded rim and a band of down-turned stiff leaves, inventory number 'Da 57' inscribed in ink to underside of base
height 10¾ in.
27.3 cm
This vessel form can be compared to an entry in the 1721 inventory of the Dresden Collection under 'Braun Sächß: Porcelain', N: 46. eine runde zusammen gedruckte Bouteille mit 2. belegten Löwen Köpffen, Früchten, Zierathen und einem Fuß 11.Z: hoch und 6 Z: in diam.', published by Ingelore Menzhausen, Böttgersteinzeug Böttgerporzellan, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 1969, p. 55. The 1770 inventory of the Japanese Palace lists 'Eine runde zusammengedrückte Bouteille, mit 2. belegten Löwen-Köpfen, Früchten, Zierrathen und einem Fuße, 11. Zoll hoch, und 6. Zoll in Diam:No. 46', published by Claus Boltz, 'Japanisches Palais-Inventar 1770 und Turmzimmer Inventar 1769', Keramos 153, 1996, p. 103.
Two polished stoneware flasks of near identical design with silver-gilt stoppers and mounts to the feet still remain in the Dresden State Collection and are housed in the Green Vaults, vgl. Inv.-Nr. V 437 and V 438, illustrated in Dirk Syndram and Ulrike Weinhold (ed.), Böttger Stoneware, Johann Friedrich Böttger and Treasury Art, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2009, p. 108, ill. 37. Menzhausen, ibid., suggests the pair was probably bought by Augustus the Strong in 1715 and publishes supporting passages from archival documents. A polished stoneware pilgrim flask with only slight differences to the applied decoration at the rim and footrim was sold at Christie's Geneva, May 16, 1994, lot 68.