Antique 1857 Sevres Napoleon III Cobalt “N” Crowned Cup/Saucer
About the Item
- Creator:Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)Diameter: 5.25 in (13.34 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1857
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor gilt loss to surface, the plate with 2 small imperfections.
- Seller Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7838234408342
Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
A maker of exemplary European ceramics for hundreds of years, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres has produced porcelain of the highest quality since 1740.
The factory enjoyed royal patronage from its earliest days, and its most prominent patrons in the late 1700s — King Louis XV of France and his mistress, Madame de Pompadour — commissioned some of the period’s most elegant and striking pieces (only the truly wealthy could afford porcelain at this time). The company was originally established in Vincennes but was moved at the request of Madame de Pompadour, in 1756, to Sèvres, near Versailles, so that its operations would be closer to her château.
Sèvres became a mighty and much-revered factory working under a special grant from King Louis XV — the company’s owner as of 1759 and whose abundance of orders for special state gifts put financial strain on the company. Madame de Pompadour is said to have commissioned Sèvres to create an entire indoor garden of porcelain botanicals, for example.
While Sèvres gained a sterling reputation for its soft-paste porcelain wares, the company was late in entering into the production of hard-paste porcelain.
Hard-paste porcelain is the most common type of Chinese porcelain, then a widely exported and profitable product that was not made in Europe until the 18th century. The resources at Sèvres were largely relegated to meeting the demands of Louis XV, and secondly, it did not acquire the secret formula for hard-paste porcelain until 1761. Until it obtained the coveted secrets behind hard-paste porcelain from a chemist named Pierre-Antoine Hannong — and, years later, gained access to the elusive raw materials to make hard-paste porcelain — Sèvres produced soft-paste porcelain for decades that was widely celebrated but is comparatively a far weaker type as opposed to the hard-paste productions of the company’s rival, Meissen, in Saxony, the first to produce true porcelain outside of Asia.
The artisans at Sèvres applied the rarest and most difficult-to-produce colors to their decorative objects and dinner services. One such color, the bright bleu de roi, became the manufacturer’s signature shade and is found on many of their objects. Sèvres also experimented with rarely glazed or unglazed works that bore no decoration at all — bisque porcelain, French for “biscuit,” refers to unadorned white porcelain sculptures made at Sèvres that resemble white marble after being kiln-fired.
Sèvres marks were applied over the glaze or rendered with cuts by a sharp tool — authentic Sèvres porcelain is most commonly marked with two interlaced Ls that are painted in blue and enclose a third letter. Painters and potters were tasked with affixing marks to record their role in the creation of a particular piece, and as a lot of these artisans’ names are recorded in archival factory materials — and there is also much to be learned at the Sèvres museum — it’s likely that you can accurately identify your Sèvres piece.
Find antique and vintage Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres vases, urns, sculptures and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Atlanta, GA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Set of 3 Antique Hand Carved Russian Agate Open Salt DishesLocated in Atlanta, GASet of 3 Antique Hand Carved Russian Agate open salt dishes Each dish with natural inclusions - sizing from 2” on small and 2.375” on larger width.Category
Antique 19th Century Tableware
MaterialsAgate
- Antique Parrot Form Silver plated Table Accessory Set - Napkin Ring + Salt DishLocated in Atlanta, GALikely English, early to mid 20th century. A 3 piece grouping of silverplated tableware accessories including a napkin ring, salt dish and sterling salt spoon...Category
20th Century English Tableware
MaterialsSilver Plate
- Qianlong Period Chinese Export Porcelain Tea Cup & Saucer - Lotus UnderglazeLocated in Atlanta, GAChinese, circa 1785. Chinese export porcelain cup and saucer set produced with blue and white underglaze foliate motifs and geometric designs to edges. The main face of the cup and saucer have polychrome enamel painted flowers and fine quality. This set has a highly unusual raised "lotus" underglaze surrounding the main floral decoration. Underside is unmarked as appropriate with age. Produced in the 18th century, Chinese export porcelain was crafted with the same technical virtuosity as Chinese Imperial...Category
Antique 18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- 19th Century French Sevres Style Cobalt Porcelain Lidded “Courting” DishLocated in Atlanta, GAA stunning 19th century french Sevres style porcelain “Courting” Scene covered dish and under plate.Category
Antique Late 19th Century Porcelain
MaterialsEnamel
- Flight Barr & Barr Porcelain Cabinet Cup & Saucer Attr Thomas Baxter, circa 1815By Thomas Baxter, Barr, Flight & Barr WorcesterLocated in Atlanta, GAFlight Barr & Barr Porcelain Cabinet Cup & Saucer Attr: Thomas Baxter, circa 1815 One side decorated with a scene of Mettingham Castle - The home of the late Sir John de Norwich in ...Category
Antique Early 19th Century British Ceramics
MaterialsPorcelain
- Set 12 Royal Worcester for Tiffany and Co. 10” Soup or Salad Bowls C. 1877By Tiffany & Co., Royal WorcesterLocated in Atlanta, GARoyal Worcester (English, 1751-2008) for Tiffany & Company (American, founded 1837). Circa 1877. A set of 10 Soup or Salad Bowls with a beautiful blue floral pattern to center of bow...Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Tableware
MaterialsCeramic
- Antique Emperor Napoleon III Sevres Porcelain Cup Saucer & Sugar Bowl 19th CLocated in London, GBThis is an important fine Sèvres porcelain breafast cup and saucer with a footed sugar bowl dating from the mid 19th Century. The cup saucer & bowl all feature the gilt crowned N cipher with gilt line borders on a white ground and the undersides bearing the red Imperial crowned N Sèvres mark with date letters for 1855 and 1860. This is sure to be a treasured addition to your home. Condition: Both cup saucer and bowl are in very good condition with no signs of damage or restoration and the gilding is crisp. Dimensions in cm: height 9 x width 16 x depth 12 - cup height 3.6 x width 18 x depth 18 - saucer height 7.5 x width 14 x depth 14 - bowl Dimensions in inches: height 3 inches x width 6 inches x depth 5 inches - cup height 1 inch x width 7 inches x depth 7 inches - saucer height 3 inches x width 5 inches x depth 5 inches - bowl Louis was king of France when the monarchy was overthrown during the French Revolution. He was guillotined in 1793. Louis was born at Versailles on 23 August 1754. In 1770, he married Marie Antoinette, daughter of the emperor and empress of Austria...Category
Antique 1850s French Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- 19th Century Porcelain, 12 Piece Painted Cups and Saucers Cobalt BlueLocated in Southall, GB19th century Elegant 12 Piece painted, cobalt blue porcelain cups and saucers, with a genre, Neapolitan scene; cylindrical shape, with a rectangular handle. Decorated with gold.Category
Antique 19th Century European Tea Sets
MaterialsPorcelain
- Set of 6 Estate English Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Demitasse Cups and Saucers.By Royal Crown Derby PorcelainLocated in New Orleans, LASet of 6 Estate English Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Demitasse Cups and Saucers. Cups: height - 2.5 inches, diameter - 2.5 inches Saucers: he...Category
Mid-20th Century English Tableware
MaterialsPorcelain
- Set of 8 Royal Bayreuth China Cups & Saucers White with Cobalt and Gilt BordersBy Royal BayreuthLocated in Lambertville, NJSet of 8 Royal Bayreuth China cups & saucers white with cobalt and gilt borders. Wonderful condition, with no wear to the gold.Category
20th Century German Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- 22 Pieces Cobalt Raised Gilt Swag Demi Tasse (11) Cups & Saucers (11) CustomBy Marshall FieldsLocated in West Palm Beach, FLAn elegant set of 11 demi cups and 11 saucers for a total of 22 pieces. Made by the American firm of Lenox for the fine Gilded Age Retailer Marshall Fields of Chicago. This set featu...Category
Vintage 1910s American Tableware
MaterialsGold, Enamel
- 6 Antique Mintons Porcelain Raised Gold Twin Handled Bouillons / Cups & SaucersBy MintonLocated in Philadelphia, PAA fine set of 6 richly gilt porcelain bullion or tea cups. By Mintons. In an Aesthetic Movement numbered pattern with raised gold and gold jeweling throughout. Each marked to the ...Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain