Christie’s, London, The Flahaunt Collection of European Porcelain, 12 June 1995, Lot 541 (as from the service of 1771)

Note:
Described in the Sèvres sales registers as Service Petits Vases Et Guirlandes, the decoration on the present plate is that found on the first monogramed service produced at Sèvres. Delivered 29 August 1771 to Louis XV’s mistress Jeanne (Bécu) Gomard de Vaubernier, the service of some 322 pieces was likely intended for use at Louveciennes, the château a gift of the King in 1769.

For a detailed discussion of the Service Petits Vases Et Guirlandes, known 19th century additions in forms never included in the original service, and 19th century decorated 18th century pieces, see D. Peters, Sèvres Plates and Services of the 18th Century, Little Berkhamsted, 2005, Vol. II, no. 71-77, pp. 461-464.

The most commonly seen ‘problem’ pieces, which resemble the original service but are doubted to have originated therefrom, are plates, often marked with interlaced Ls enclosing date letter S above a painter’s LB, as found on the present example. Differentiating into which category a given example may fall is far from an exact science. Among the characteristics to compare are the shade of blue and gilding pattern on the perfume burner vases, the way the flower garlands are suspended, the style of flower painting, the placement at the shaped rim of the ovolo band, the drawing of the gilt letter D, and the chasing (or lack thereof) on the gilding in general but in particular of the initial. Interestingly, almost all later decorated plates have ground footrims—likely an attempt to removed tell-tale signs of refiring.