LIDDED PORCELAIN TUREEN ON PRESENTOIR FROM THE M諰LENDORFF-SERVICE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
Meissen. 1762. Model Johann Joachim Kaendler.

Porcelain; decorated in iron-red; colours and gold. Presentoir with scalloped rim and golden scale pattern on iron-red fond. The steep rim
decorated with musical supplies; war trophies; scientific instruments and flower bouquets
in loose gold cartouches - the so called 'Prussian musical' relief decor. In the centre
large iron-red Indian flowers. The round tureen with multiply scalloped outline and bomb?
body. Along the shoulder also relief decor with sheet music; instruments and bouquets as
well as golden scale-decor. On the sides rocaille handles with applied tendrils and
blossoms. A figurine of the goddes Pomona is used as the handle of the tureen's high-domed
lid. She is surrounded by fruits such as strawberries; cherries and grapes. Tureen: Height 26.5cm; width 33cm. Presentoir ?39cm.
Swords mark; the presentoir with pressmark 36 and III incised. Condition B. Minimally restored.

Provenance:
Private collection Berlin.

Literature:
- Exhibition cat.: Triumph der Schwerter; Meissener Porzellan f黵 Adel und B黵gertum
1710-1815; Pietsch; Ulrich & Banz; Claudia (ed.); Dresden 2010. For the
M鰈lendorff-service Pp.293-295.
- Eikelmann; Renate (ed.): Mei遝ner Porzellan des 18. Jahrhunderts - Die Stiftung Ernst
Schneider in Schlo?Lustheim; Munich 2004; P.362ff.
- R點kert; Rainer: Meissener Porzellan 1710-1810; Munich 1966; cat.no.469.
- Wittwer; Samuel: Friedrich der Gro遝 und das Mei遝ner Porzellan; in: Keramos; Booklet
208; 2010; Pp.17-80.

The so-called M鰈lendorff-Service was part of the voluminous order of six services;
Frederick the Great commissioned Meissen with during the Seven Years War (1756-1763).

It was received by Wichard von M鰈lendorff - hence the name - as a birthday present on
January 24th 1781 (ibid. p.61). M鰈lendorff had become a page to Frederick II in the year
1740. In the following years he quickly rose through the military ranks. During the Seven
Years War he made many decisions on the battlefield that turned the tables in his
commander's favour.
On December 12th 1761 the "Taffel-Service mit roth Mosaique Rand und rothen Indianischen
Bluhmen" (Service with red mosaic border and red Indian flowers) - originally intended for
Fredericks personal use - was commissioned (Wittwer; 2010; p.54). One can learn from the
detailed instructions to Kammerkommisar Justus Lorentz starting in December 1761;
preserved in the files of the Saxon State Archive; that the king had a very precise vision
as to the design of the service:
"[...] da?auf den gesammten St點ken keine andere Farbe als roth; und zwar von der
Couleur; welche des K鰊igs von Polen Majt. vorz黦lich lieben; mit Gold untermischet;
angebracht werden soll. An statt also bey dem letzten Service; die mosaische oder
schuppichte Mahlerey auf dem Rand gr黱 mit Gold ist; soll dieselbe bei diesem neuen
Service auf eben die schuppichte Art roth [...] und der schwarze Schatten bey dem gr黱en
hier bey den rothen Schuppen von Gold seyn" (That the entirety of pieces should have no
colour other than red; specifically of the couleur that the King of Poland Majt. loves
most; mixed with gold; applied to it. Instead of; as with the last service where the
mosaic or scaled parts on the border were green with gold; this new service should have
the scaled parts red [...] and the black shadow of the green one shall be gold here)
(Triumph; 2010; p.294).
Originally the 'Service with Prussian-musical design' contained six round tureens with
presentoir. Today for example two such tureens can be found in the collection of the
Victoria & Albert Museum in London (C.241&A-1921) and one in the collection of the
Gardiner Museums in Toronto Canada (Inventory-No.G83.1.654a-b).Art trade; Van Ham.