The Garrick Service
Saucer
1764 (made)
1764 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This tea service was bought by the famous actor, playwright and theatre manager, David Garrick (1717-1779), on a visit to Paris in 1764-1765. The tea service was made by the French royal porcelain manufactory at Sèvres. The fluted design is called 'cannelé', and was used on a range of Sèvres teaware shapes from 1754. The fluted sugar bowl was first introduced in 1764, so represents the latest fashion.
The set was probably put together by a luxury goods merchant, or marchand-mercier. The merchant would have ordered the veneered box, lined with watered silk, and probably bought the porcelain directly from Sèvres. The slop bowl, which would have been used for the dregs from cups, is very unusual in a French tea service of this date, and suggests the set may have been put together with its English client in mind.
The set was probably put together by a luxury goods merchant, or marchand-mercier. The merchant would have ordered the veneered box, lined with watered silk, and probably bought the porcelain directly from Sèvres. The slop bowl, which would have been used for the dregs from cups, is very unusual in a French tea service of this date, and suggests the set may have been put together with its English client in mind.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Garrick Service |
| Materials and techniques | Soft-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded |
| Brief description | Saucer (soucoupe), of the second size, painted porcelain in enamels and gilded, manufactured by Sèvres porcelain factory, Sèvres, France, 1764 |
| Physical description | Saucer (soucoupe 'cannelé') of the second size, soft-paste porcelain, shallow in form with gadroons running from the edge towards the well, with an undulating rim. It is painted in enamels and gilded with a pattern of alternating red hop staves and trailing berried hops, with a blue (beau bleu) border around the rim. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Purchased with funds from the Capt. H.B. Murray Bequest and with the support of the V&A Director's Circle |
| Object history | Due to an illness during the return journey of his European tour, David Garrick remained in Paris from late August or early September 1764 until his departure and return to London in April 1765. He likely ordered his tea service during that time, probably from a marchand-mercier. |
| Summary | This tea service was bought by the famous actor, playwright and theatre manager, David Garrick (1717-1779), on a visit to Paris in 1764-1765. The tea service was made by the French royal porcelain manufactory at Sèvres. The fluted design is called 'cannelé', and was used on a range of Sèvres teaware shapes from 1754. The fluted sugar bowl was first introduced in 1764, so represents the latest fashion. The set was probably put together by a luxury goods merchant, or marchand-mercier. The merchant would have ordered the veneered box, lined with watered silk, and probably bought the porcelain directly from Sèvres. The slop bowl, which would have been used for the dregs from cups, is very unusual in a French tea service of this date, and suggests the set may have been put together with its English client in mind. |
| Associated objects |
|
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.66-2011 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 24, 2011 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
