A CHINESE EXPORT COFFEE CUP AND SAUCER circa 1740

painted on either side of the cup and in the center of the saucer with three insects above or within a floral garland on a black-ground scalloped and barbed border issuing gilt foliate devices, and a similarly shaped turquoise-green scalework border repeated on the exterior rim of the cup, the interior edge of each with a further border of gilt foliate devices on a narrow black scalloped and barbed band repeated on the S-scroll handle.  The cup rim with touched-up chips and small hair cracks.

New York, International Asian Art Fair, 2002

Three very small touched up chips to rim, 3/8 inch touched-up fracture on rim edge issuing a 5/8 inch haircrack, saucer with wear to gilding on rim edge, a 1mm chip on rim, remnants of gilt sticker.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although there is no documentation that this extraordinary decoration derives from a design by Cornelis Pronk, it would seem a likely supposition, and it might even be considered the 'missing link' between the renowned black-ground 'Trumpeter Service' (see lot 130) and the equally well known patterns of 'The Four Doctors' and 'The Arbor' (see lots 125 and 129) with their green scalework borders of this unusual pale mint shade.

A further connection exists with the insects, which may derive from the work of Johann Gottfried Klinger (c. 1701-81), who developed a popular style of shaded insect painting at the Meissen porcelain factory from about 1731 to 1746.  But more likely it derives from a volume of naturalistic drawings, such as those of the Swiss-Dutch botanist, Maria Sybille Merian (1646-1717), whose renderings of botanical specimens from the Dutch West Indies were published in 1705 in Holland in a book entitled Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, and in 1771 in France as Histoire Générale des Insectes de Surinam et de toute l'Europe.  Insects appear frequently in Pronk's designs, and can be seen again in the border of 'The Arbor' and under the rim of 'La Dame au Parasol' plates (see lot 124, and Jörg 1980, pp. 63, 66 and 70, nos. 12, 19 and 32), as well as on the body of a covered urn illustrated by Howard and Ayers, Vol. I, p. 295, Design 7, and by Jörg 1980, p. 82, no. 51, who also illustrates the interior of a water basin, p. 82, no. 52, in which insects are an important design element.

The floral border is reminiscent also of that found on 'La Dame au Parasol'; and the scalework border exists on 'The Four Doctors.'  Even the bellflower motif can be traced to Pronk's known designs, as a prominent element in his 'Plume' pattern (see lot 128), and on the reverse of pieces decorated with 'The Arbor' (see Jörg 1980, p. 79, no. 48).

The coffee pot from this service, which was sold in these rooms on January 25, 1989, lot 224, is illustrated by Howard 1994, p. 157, no. 171, who comments that its "most unusual design was clearly the work of the studio of Cornelis Pronk...and may have been privately commissioned as part of a single service."

A pair of coffee cups identical to the present example was sold at Christie's in New York on January 19, 1996, lot 152; and a covered milk jug and tea canister were sold also in those rooms on January 24, 1997, lot 119. Interestingly, a blue and white version of this pattern exists, and appeared on a dish from the collection of John M. Davis, sold in these rooms on January 18, 1997, lot 1164.  But neither version seems to have been a success, as the pattern does not appear to be recorded; and it is possible that both were from trial services, which, not meeting with much enthusiasm in Holland, were stricken from the V.O.C.'s repertoire of more popular Pronk patterns.  It is equally possible, however, that each may represent a special order executed perhaps for one of the directors of the V.O.C., or for some other affluent client.