A Berlin KPM porcelain dish from a royal dinner service
With flower and insect decor. Blue sceptre mark, mass mark III. Minor wear to the gilding. Diameter 39.4 cm.
1700 - 73.
A service of this kind is mentioned twice in the archival tables published by Lenz. The first commission of this service was made by Frederick II for the Berliner Schloss on 31st January 1768: "Berliner Tafel-Service vom radirten Dessein, für 36 Couverts. (Acta Silberkammer vol I, 3.2.1768) bunte natürliche Blumen und goldene Laubkante". The manufactory required almost a year for its completion, and it was delivered on 17th December.
A further dinner and dessert service painted with flowers and a gilt leaf rim was ordered on 19th January 1770. The King presented the service to Queen Ulrike of Sweden (1720 - 1782). Ulrike was Frederick's sister, who had married the Crown Prince of Sweden in 1744. The second service was made as soon as possible and delivered on 28th February.
A third part of this service was delivered in a subsequent order to the Berliner Schloss in 1773. It is thought that this platter either belonged to the service for the Swedish court or the subsequent order for Berlin. Lempertz auctioned a round tureen from the same provenance in the Berlin auction 1065 of May 2016.
Literature
For archive tables cf.: Lenz (Reprint), p. 15.