A SET OF FIVE MEISSEN PORCELAIN BLUE AND WHITE SOUP PLATES CIRCA 1770

each painted in the center with a putto engaged in a pastime below a ribbonned laurel swag border at the edged rim, crossed swords and dot mark in under-glaze blue, three with painter's mark S for Stemmler and four with P for Prasser.

One with an approximate 1-inch restoration to the rim edge and one with a very minor chip to the rim.
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.

The design for this service was first attributed to engravings of Jacques Stella, Les Jeux et Les Plaisir de L'enfance, by Robert L. Burwell in his article, "Kinder à la Raphael", Keramos, April 1980, pp. 103-108. Similar Meissen wares painted with designs after Stella is illustrated and discussed by Nicholas Zumbulyadis in his article, "Child's Play: Fun and Frolic on Porcelain and Faïence", American Ceramic Circle Journal, volume 16, pp. 20-27, where he mentions that some renderings were directly copied from Stella's prints, while some were slightly modified. Various other examples are illustrated by Nicholas Zumbulyadis, Meissen's Blue and White Porcelain, pp. 97-100. A serving platter with a different central scene is illustrated by Syz, Miller II and Rückert, Catalogue of the Hans Syz Collection, 1979, p. 263, cat. no. 167.

A similarly decorated serving platter was sold at Sotheby's, New York, October 23, 1998, lot 81 and at Christie's, New York, May 18, 2005, lot 51. Also, a comparable circular dish with two putti playing cricket was sold at Christie's, London, May 12, 2010, lot 78.