Of oval form, with straight, gently curved sides, the sugar bowl rests on a shallow foot ring. It is fitted on either side with two ring handles applied to the body. The slightly domed and flared cover is surmounted by a seed-shaped finial.
HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN.
Against a white ground scattered with small gilt stars, both sides of the body are decorated with polychrome animal scenes painted within wooded landscapes. The first depicts a shepherd wearing a red jacket and black hat, surrounded by several animals, including a bovine, a stag and a dog lying in the foreground. The second shows a bear facing a tiger, the two animals positioned on either side of a tree.
The cover is likewise decorated with small animal scenes set within miniature pastoral landscapes. Gold lines accentuate the various borders.
Mark : NONE. However, as illustrated in the accompanying photographs, I own a saucer from the same service bearing the mark “NAST À PARIS”, stencilled in red on the reverse. This comparative piece allows the present sugar bowl to be attributed with certainty to the Nast Manufactory.
The purchaser will receive a certificate of authenticity accompanied by the comparative photographs at the time of sale.
Dimensions : Height 5.83 in. – Length 4.92 in.,
(Height 14.8 cm – Length 12.5 cm)
Condition : PERFECT CONDITION,
Period : 18th century – LOUIS XVI PERIOD,
Remarks : Minute signs of wear consistent with age and use.
The choice of the bear as a decorative subject is particularly noteworthy. Although animal representations were widely used throughout the decorative arts of the 18th century, bears remained far less commonly depicted, especially on French porcelain, where birds, dogs, horses and hunting animals predominated. Its presence on this piece, paired with that of a tiger, gives the decoration a highly unusual character and reflects the contemporary fascination with wild and exotic animals.
Crédit Agricole
ou LYDIA 