A pair of Sèvres biscuit figure groups of La Fête des bonnes gens ou l'Heureux vieillard and La Rosière de Salency, circa 1870-71

after the models by Louis-Simon Boizot and Josse-François-Joseph Le Riche, both with impressed uppercase SEVRES mark in cartouche, and incised monogram of a conjoined AL, one with incised date code 70, the blue-glazed bases inscribed in gilding 'Presented by the French Government/ to the MARCHIONESS of LOTHIAN/ Promoter of the French/ relief Fund Committee in London/ 1870-1871', the reverse with 'Le Gouvernement Français/ à / La MARQUISE de LOTHIAN/ Fondatrice du Comité de secours/ aux familles françaises réfugiées à Londres/ 1870-1871', between gilt lines with a Vitruvian scroll border at base, printed green S.59 within lozenge marks above iron-red R.F./8.71. within concentric circles, both with various incised marks,

Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Inventory, 1901, pp.58-59, in the Drawing Room; ‘2 Sevres white china allegorical groups of several figures, on blue & gold china stands...'
Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Inventory, 1930, p.9, in the Drawing room.

John M. Gray, Notes on the Art Treasures at Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Edinburgh, 1887, p.42; 'Here, too, [in the Drawing Room] is placed a greatly and deservedly valued heirloom of the Lothian family, a pair of elaborate and spirited groups modelled in white Sevres china, which were presented to the late Marchioness, mother of the present Lord Lothian, by Monsieur Thiers on behalf of the French Government, in acknowledgment of her services in founding and managing a greatly needed society for the aid of distressed French refugees, during the war of 1870-1'

RELATED LITERATURE
Louis-Simon Boizot (1743-1809) Sculpteur du roi et directeur de l'atelier de sculpture á la Manufacture de Sèvres, exh. cat., musée Lambinet de Versailles, 2001, pp.187 and 190, fig.13;
E. Bourgeois, Le biscuit de Sèvres au XVIII° siècle, Paris, 1909, nos. 303, 540.

La Fête des bonnes, the female figure with raised left arm re-stuck at shoulder and elbow, chipping to three fingers, older female figure behind, right hand index finger chipped off. The group has a network of firing cracks to the base and have been consolidated. The other group, the finial of the banner chipped off. Four firing cracks through base, and some other minor firing faults. One base cracked across re-stuck, the other in generally good condition. The base with crack: a section of the base is cracked through and extends from one side across the edge of the upper surface and down through the English inscription. There is an associated lost chip to lower step at side. There is also a very minor chip to the upper edge. The other base is basically intact with a small glaze-loss/ blister just above footrim. Both examples present well, though display some minor firing problems and other minor firing flaws.
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