Eight Gotha porcelain dessert plates from the wedding service for the hereditary prince Ernst von Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Alexandrine von Baden
Shallow plates decorated to the wells with finely painted views, four from the grand duchy of Baden and four from Gotha, in etched gold surrounds. The border with the crowned arms of alliance. Brown stamped Gotha mark, inscribed "Gotha" in black cursive, impressed marks. Minor localised wear to the well. D ca. 22 cm.
Circa 1842.
All plates are inscribed on the reverse with views from Thuringia: “Island in Gotha park”, “Jacob's Square in Gotha”, “Spitterfall in Gotha”, “Schepfenthal”. The views of Baden are labelled: “Part of the village of Schwarzwald with the ruins. Gotha”, “Ruins of Ebersteinburg”, “Reinhardsbrunn”, “Badenweiler”.
For her catalogue of Gotha porcelain, Ute Däberitz discovered that this service was commissioned by the city of Gotha as a wedding gift to Hereditary Prince Ernst and Princess Alexandra. The service was presented to them during their festive entry into Gotha on 21st June 1842. The gift comprised a dinner service for 24 persons including 48 dessert plates painted with views and a vase which is currently housed in the collection of Friedenstein Palace (inv. no. P1347 II).
Provenance
French aristocratic ownership.
Literature
A vase from this service in cat.: Gothaer Porzellan, Gotha 1995, no. VII.12. Two dessert plates without armorial motifs ibd. no. VII.13.