Cup 'litron' and saucer

1787 - 1792

Part of the so-called service d'Orléans, commissioned by Philippe Duke of Orléans (1747-1793), the later Philippe-Égalité. Made under the direction of Jean-Ghislain-Joseph Mayer (1754-1825), the service originally numbered 1,603 pieces and at the time cost 60,148 livres. It was dispersed during the French Revolution. A large part (c. 600 pieces) came into the possession of the English royal family at the beginning of the nineteenth century. All the parts of the service have a polychrome painted decoration of birds after Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon's work Histoire naturelle des oiseaux, published in Paris between 1771 and 1786 and illustrated with prints by François Nicolas Martinet (°1731). The names of the birds were recorded in black ink on the base of most of the items: on S87/69: 'crapaud volant ou tette chèvre, de cayenne'.

• Actors

  Mayer, Jean Ghislain Joseph (Maker)

  Buffon, Georges-Louis (Designer (iconography))

• Places and dates

  Tournai, 1787 - 1792 (Production)

• Materials

  Porcelain

• Category

  Vessels

• Object number

  S87/69

• IPR status

  Public domain