Richard White
@rhwhite.bsky.social
NYC-based 18th-century porcelain and decorative art collector showing photos of the crazy stuff he's bought over the years. Runner, too.
Years ago I went a little overboard buying regency-era coffee can sets and English porcelain in general, here are examples. With marks from Derby, circa 1820, all in a typically busy Imari pattern of underglaze blue, iron-red and gilding. The oval plate is a rather nice teapot stand.
A small porcelain dish that somewhat matches the cup I posted yesterday. Purchased last month; Chantilly factory, circa 1740, with a twig branch 'handle'. Several labels underneath, will have to add my own.
I recently purchased this Kakiemon-style porcelain cup made at Chantilly circa 1740, it has traveled through several British porcelain collections over the last 100 years. But it's the twig handle with attached leaf-and-flower decoration that I find charming, I'm very glad it has survived so long.
Just felt like sharing and comparing some 18th-century porcelain cane handles with 'faces'. Nicely-painted, they do have a bit of character. From the Saint-Cloud, Mennecy and Doccia factories.
A circa 1830 flared porcelain 'Veduta' cup manufactured at the Fürstenberg factory, with a molded scrolling loop handle, painted with a landscape of a neoclassical building and trees within a gilt rectangular reserve. The building: the Prinz Carl Palais in Munich, which still stands.
A rather fine blue and white 'porcelain' flask from the Medici factory I saw on view last week at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Made during the late 16th century, there are only 59 pieces made at the factory known to exist, so it's a bit rare.
Two 18th century biscuit and partially-glazed Chinese porcelain calligraphic studio items ('scholar's objects'), a reticulated brush rest stand and an incised and fret-decorated ink well with holes for brushes or ink sticks and a front shelf for a sponge or ink cake. Part of a scholar's 'desk set'.
A set of Meissen 18th-century porcelain 'Monkey Band' figures on view in the Petit Palais, Paris. Not my thing but amusing and remarkable enough. And that gilt bronze rococo stand isn't holding anything back, either.
A brass-mounted mahogany table (table en chiffonnière) with marquetry in amaranth and olivewood, decorated with a diagonal floral design with a brass gallery along the top. Each of the four legs ends in square toupee feet with brass sabots. Currently covered with 'stuff' (snuff boxes, etc.).
Two circa 1760 Vienna porcelain chocolate cups, 'trembleuses' with raised galleries in the center of the saucer. With large flower sprays on the cups. As I get older I appreciate the importance of not knocking over the cup while it sits on the saucer and I'm holding them together.
A pair of Japanese dishes with Kakiemon decoration made during the 18th or probably 19th century. With flowers and vines and ho-ho birds (or 'phoenixes' at the English factories). Not sure of the purpose of these rectangular dishes or how they were used, but they are nicely-decorated.
A trompe l'oeil painting of a grouping of blue and white faience on recessed shelves. Not that old, late 20th century, but not a bad substitute for a small collection. I don't own any earthenware pieces like this so at least I get to admire a representation. (see ALT)
On November 9th Linda Roth of the Hartford Atheneum will be speaking to the Connecticut Ceramics Circle on the works of Taxile Doat vs. Kate Malone, 100 years apart. This is an image of an astounding stoneware bowl by Kate Malone that will be discussed, a sneak peak of what we'll see. (ALT).
On this date in 1793 the 'interlaced double L' mark that Sèvres had used was replaced with 'RF' for the new République Française. What was once owned by the crown was now owned by the republic, and still is today. Here's an example of the mark appearing on this cup from 1794. (see ALT)
Just your typical Sèvres lobed tray (soucoupe à pied), circa 1764. For displaying ice cups, holding dried fruit or snacks during the dessert service. Sprays of flowers!
A Liverpool 'soapstone' porcelain teapot, the Philip Christian Company, circa 1775. Decorated with ‘Palm Leaf and Column’ arched reserves and with sprays and bouquets of flowers. One of these with Japanese-inspired decoration is in the V&A. Bought this at auction a couple of years ago, a gift.
Happy Bastille Day, everybody. Also the day in 1789 when a not-very-prescient King Louis wrote about the day in his diary: "rien". Well, it wasn't a dull day though perhaps it was at Versailles. Or Fontainebleau, which is where this Sèvres dinner plate was used. With 'Louis' cyphers in the center.
One of my favorite places in Paris, the Musée Jacquemart-André. Photos from my last visit there not long ago. The furniture is a bit jammed in but I'm not complaining, lots of 18th century pieces and a Winterhalter or two.
A Vincennes porcelain dinner plate circa 1750, decorated with a scene of a cupid grabbing onto or 'taming' a goat. An odd subject matter to use for a plate, but artists at the factory just copied etchings of cupids by Boucher et al and went with it. Haven't found the source of the design just yet.
A Sèvres coffee cup and saucer, circa 1780? Actually, it's pretending to be, it has a faked mark and the decoration is rather overdone. Nicely made, possibly by Samson, just about 120 years newer than the mark indicates.
A Chinese export porcelain lobed bowl, 19th century. I picked it up at auction two years ago; ex-collection of Madeleine Albright, Georgetown. It's decorated with these lovely mythical figures, they do have character. (see ALT)
Just felt like posting an old photo of myself with my robot childhood pal, taken a long, long time ago. 'Big Loo', as he was called, made by the Marx Toy Company (1964), like me is also still around.
These Sèvres porcelain coffee cups were made circa 1785, decorated with a popular 'dot' pattern that appeared on tea and coffee services. These are marked by the gilder Léopold Weydinger or a member of his family. The cup with the blue ground is smaller than the other, but still quite nice.
I help to put together lectures for the Connecticut Ceramics Circle and I'm lucky enough to receive images for upcoming events on Zoom. On December 7th we have Katharine Butler presenting selections from the amazing Butler Collection in Dorset, UK. This is a pair of incredible Qing 'pots' (see ALT)
On this date in 1749, the Bow Factory of New Canton is mentioned for the first time in public records on an insurance policy: "on the Essex side of Bow Bridge". This is a small tea bowl and saucer with applied decoration in imitation of Chinese 'blanc de chine' porcelain, made at Bow circa 1760.
Here's a version of the same 'Flying Fox' pattern (also seen on a Meissen bowl image I posted yesterday) on a scalloped saucer made at Chelsea circa 1752. A slightly more three-dimensional rendering than the Meissen 'fox'. That tail!
A Meissen hexagonal bowl with the 'Flying Fox' pattern, circa 1735. Beneath the 'fox' is a yellow squirrel chomping on red grapes while sitting on a banded hedge, a Kakiemon-inspired design. I own several pieces decorated with this pattern however this is a somewhat rare form.
A circa 1735 cup and leaf-shaped dish made at the Chantilly factory. Purchased yesterday at auction at Bonhams, London. Shipping to the U.S. sometime soon and you can bet the Trump tariffs will kick in as it arrives. A very small problem compared to many, many others created by DJT, admittedly.
