A Sèvres tray circa 1760-61

corbeille lozange diamond-shaped, the sides with elaborate pierced basketwork and anthemions, decorated with a turquoise bleu céleste ground reserved with trophies of war painted by Buteux l'aîné, small loss to rim

Sir Chester Beatty Collection, sold Sotheby's November 1955, lot 119, for £165.

There is a small loss to the rim at the lower right side approximately 5mm wide. On the lower left side there is a small shallow rim chip on the upper rim and on the two adjacent lobes two minute shallow chips. On the top right of the rim there is a very shallow chip.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This shape was one of the many designed by Jean-Claude Duplessis for the famous Louis XV service in 1753-55.  For four corbeilles lozanges from that service, see Christie's, 12^th June 1995, lots 389-392.  They were decorated with a turquoise ground, flower sprays and gilded with rose thorn borders, and cost 480 livres each.  The eight different 'corbeille' basket-tray shapes in the King's service  were all thickly potted and prone to damage in the kiln.  Perhaps for this reason, unlike the other service shapes, they were rarely re-used and are not often found today.  As there is no service listed of this date with this decoration this tray must have been intended as a tray for a tea service, a déjeuner corbeille.  As such there would have been teawares made with matching decoration of turquoise ground and trophies.  An expensive item of this type would have been made for a prominent member of the court or extremely wealthy client of the factory.

Buteux specialised in the painting of trophies.  For two toilet pots with love trophies by him dated 1764, see Linda H. Roth and Clare Le Corbeiller, French 18th Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum, 2000, pp.317-318 no. 158.