Déjeuner à baguettes. Decoration of garlands and wreaths of mixed flowers and red roses. In the centre of the tray, a polychrome trophy with a plumed crown, a bow and arrows with a quiver, and a sabre with lion's head pommel. Tray (plateau à baguettes, 39.4 x 26.7 cm), teapot (théière Calabre, length 14.5 cm, height 10.5 cm), sugar bowl (pot à sucre Bouret, second size, height 10 cm), milk jug (pot à lait à trois pieds, second size, height 10.1 cm), cup and saucer (gobelet litron et soucoupe, third size, height of cup 5.9 cm, diameter of saucer 12.3 cm). On most pieces, interlaced L's, date-letter x for 1775, painter's mark B.n for Nicolas Bulidon. The milk jug with date-letter ee for 1782 and Bulidon's mark.

At Sèvres, a tea service got its name from the name of the tray with matching decoration on which it stood. So as the tray is called a plateau à baguettes (presumably from the mouldings around the edge which look like rods or sticks) the whole set is called déjeuner à baguettes.

This shape of tray is known from the late 1760's. For a detailed discussion of the shape see Wadsworth no. 96.

The milk jug dates from just seven years later. So clearly the service had a caring original owner who ordered a replacement of the same decoration when his milk jug got broken, and someone at the factory knew to go back to the original painter, Bulidon, to decorate another one.

Bears an Albert Amor label probably from the 1950's or 1960's.

The tray with a few firecracks around the handles. The teapot with a tiny chip to the spout. The cover of the sugar bowl with a chip which was glazed over and gilded.

Stock Ref: WS236

Price: £15,000