1244. Blue and White Armorial Plate

Delft, circa 1750

Marked with an asterisk and JB in Blue for Justus de Berg, recorded as a potter at De Witte Ster (The White Star) Factory 

Painted in the center with two coats of arms within elaborate foliate mantling beneath a helmet and bird crest, the rim with an elaborate border of five masks alternating with dotted and blossom-centered ovals above husk chains suspended from foliate scrolls and baroque strapwork, and the underside with four flowering branches.

DIMENSIONS:

Diameter: 26.2 cm. (10.3 in.)

SIMILAR EXAMPLES:

Two plates from this service are in the collection of the Musée National de Céramique, Sèvres, illustrated by Lahaussois 1998, pp. 113 and 114, nos. 67-69, who also illustrates the reverse of each, and comments that the arms have not been identified, but that the opulent rinceaux relate to the engraved compositions of the goldsmith Michel Le Blon (1587-1656), and the masks and garlands of pearls are reminiscent of the ornamentation of Daniel Marot (1663-1752), who was the favored designer of William III (1650-1702) and Mary II (1662-94). One of those plates also is illustrated by Havard 1878, p. 37, fig. 18, who on pp. 36-40 provides a long but inconclusive commentary on the identification of the coats of arms.

PROVENANCE:

The collection of M. Fuld, The Hague, sold at Frederik Muller & Co., Amsterdam, November 25-28, 1913, lot 951;

The collection of William Randolph Hearst, sold by Hammer Galleries through Gimbels, New York, 1941 (included in the catalogue of Art Objects and Furnishings from the William Randolph Hearst Collection, pp. 311 and 312: four plates from this service, described as: “A Delft Armorial Plate with Blue Decoration (455-365)”, “A Pair of Delft Armorial Plates with Blue Decoration (455-366 & 367)” and “A Delft Armorial Plate with Blue Decoration (455-369);

The collection of H. de Vries, New York;

Sold at Sotheby’s, New York, Arcade Sale, June 16, 2004, lot 426

CONDITION:

• Minor rim abrasions
• One repaired chip of 40 x 10 mm. 
• One rim chip of 10 mm.