An extremely rare early Meissen beaker and saucer, circa 1720-22. Photo Bonhams

Painted by Johann Gregorius Höroldt in polychrome enamels, each with a chinoiserie scene framed by concentric iron-red double-line borders, the saucer with two large figures in a rocky landscape with a pagoda in the background, the beaker painted with figures in a continuous mountainous landscape, one with two parrots on a perch and the other standing beside a palm tree, three concentric iron-red circles to reverse of saucer, the beaker: 7.5cm high; the saucer: 13.3 cm diam., incised / inside footrim of saucer (2). Sold for £30,000

Provenance: Anon. sale, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1966, lot 152;
Marianne and Hans Krieger Collection

Literature: Siegfried Ducret, Vorbilder für Porzellanmalereien. Keramos 44 (April 1969), p. 14, ill. 10;
Ulrich Pietsch, Frühes Meissener Porzellan (1994), no. 31;
Ulrich Pietsch, Passion for Meissen (2010), no. 6

Exhibited: Hamburg, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Meissener Porzellan in Hamburger Privatbesitz, 1982;
Lübeck, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgschichte, St. Annen-Museum, Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung, 14 November 1993-31 January 1994;
Aachen, Museum der Stadt Aachen, Couven Museum, Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung, 26 February-30 April 1994

Notes: The figures are based on engravings by Martin Engelbrecht and Johann Christoph Weigel, for which see Ducret (above).

Bonhams. 5 Dec 2012 13:30 GMT London, New Bond Street. The Marouf Collection, Part I: highly important 18th century Meissen porcelain