A Meissen miniature vase from the 'Red Dragon' service for the Saxon Royal Court Pantry, circa 1740-50. Photo: Bonhams.

Painted with the 'Red Dragon' pattern, with a silver mount, 7.5cm high, very faint traces of crossed swords mark in blue, K.H.C. mark in purple. Estimate £800 - 1,200 (€990 - 1,500)

Provenance: Saxon Royal Court Pantry, Dresden;
Anon. Sale, Sotheby's London, 21 October 1980, lot 64

Literature: H. Jedding, Meissener Porzellan aus Hamburger Privatbesitz (1982), no. 194;
U. Pietsch, Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung (1994), no. 49

Exhibited: Hamburg, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, 'Meissener Porzellan aus Hamburger Privatbesitz', 4 June-5 September 1982;
Lübeck, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte der Hansestadt Lübeck - St. Annen-Museum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung', 14 November-31 January 1994;
Aachen, Museen der Stadt Aachen - Couven Museum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung', 26 February-20 April 1994

Two similar miniature vases are in the Dr. Ernst Schneider Collection, Schloss Lustheim; see J. Weber, Meißener Porzellane mit Dekoren nach ostasiatischen Vorbildern, vol. II (2013), no. 252. The author notes (p. 250) that the 'K.H.C.' mark for the Royal Court Pantry was used from around 1739-40. The model was produced from late 1724, and the 1752 inventory of the Dresden Hofkonditorei lists 553 such vases (p. 264). See also footnote to previous lot.

Bonhams. FINE EUROPEAN CERAMICS. London, New Bond Street, 18 Jun 2014 - http://www.bonhams.com/