A Louis XVI ormolu and Sèvres porcelain encrier, attributed to Simon-Philippe Poirier and Dominique Daguerre circa 1772

Possibly assembled using the twelve plaques described as pièces extraordinaires purchased by the marchands-merciers Simon-Philippe Poirier and Dominique Daguerre in 1772
The Property of the Late Mrs. Derek Fitzgerald, Heathfield Park, Sussex, Christie's London, March 23, 1972, lot 65.

Rosalind Savill, The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Sèvres Porcelain, Vol. II, London, 1988, pp. 858-860, footnote 13, note 1h.

Ormolu with oxidation, surface dirt and some rubbing. Porcelain with very minor wear to gilding and enamels.
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.

This encrier belongs to a well-documented group of ormolu and Sèvres porcelain inkwells attributed to the Parisian marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier. The sales records at Sèvres indicate that in 1772 Poirier and Dominique Daguerre purchased twelve small Sèvres plaques listed as 'pièces extraordinaires' for a total price of 152 livres. These twelve small plaques were sufficient to make one encrier. The two long plaques cost 24 livres each, the two square plaques (for each end) 12 livres and the remaining eight plaques 10 livres each. According to Rosalind Savill, the encrier created using the above extraordinary plaques is possibly the one offered here, see Rosalind Savill, The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Sèvres Porcelain, Vol. II, London, 1988, p. 858. Poirier had sold a very similar encrier to Madame du Barry in 1770 for the price of 360 livres. Interestingly, with its wreaths, garlands and putti, the decoration of the porcelain plaques of the inkwell offered here resembles that on the Sèvres services made for Madame du Barry in 1771 and Maria Carolina Luisa of Naples in 1773-74, see ibid., p. 896. Besides the present example and the one in the Wallace Collection, London, other inkwells from this celebrated group by Poirier include one sold from the Dimitri Mavrommatis Collection Sotheby's London, July 8, 2008, lot 53; one formerly belonging to Empress Maria Feodorovna, sold Christie's London, June 24, 1971, lot 24; one from the collection of Monsieur Akram Ojjeh and formerly in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch, sold Sotheby's Parke Bernet Monaco, June 25-26, 1979, lot 122;  and one in the James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor.