Tureen

The tureens and stands are variously marked with the date letters for 1726 and 1728, with the charge and discharge marks for the fermier-générals Charles Condier (1722-1726) and Jacques Cortin (1726-1732) and with their weights.

But the metal tureen cannot just have been an import from the eastern Mediterranean area or from the Carpathian basin, because the style horizon of the Tiefstich pottery tureens with pendant triangles on the shoulder did not penetrate as far as that, nor do we know of any vessels there, pottery or precious metal ones, which show a similarity with these.

The large covered soup tureen, as well as the 15 inch round plate on which it sat, was rimmed by gold leaf, and was decorated with an ornate nineteenth century English scene.