Two Saint-Cloud Knives, circa 1700-20
The early cannon-shaped hafts are attractively painted in underglaze blue with Renaissance-inspired lambrequin designs loosely derived from the broderie ornaments of the designer Jean Berain (1640-1711) and his followers. One blade is stamped BERGERAULT BVARD ST DENIS A PARIS.
Provenance: An English Private Collection.
Condition: One haft is perfect. The other haft has a kiln touch which occurred when the glaze was still wet, and also some kiln spit, from firing. There is also a crack either side of the cap, and a small loss to the end of the haft.
Dimensions: Length 24 cm (including blade); Length 24.8 cm (including blade)
Discovering the Secrets of Soft-Paste Porcelain at the Saint-Cloud Manufactory, c.1690-1766, Bertrand Rondot, Ed. (BGC / Yale, 1999).
French Porcelain: A Catalogue of the British Museum Collection, Aileen Dawson (British Museum Press, 2000).
Cutlery: From Gothic to Art Deco – The J. Hollander Collection, Jan van Trigt (Petraco-Pandora NV, 1999).