Sevres porcelain, Egyptian Service

The service was originally made for Empress Josephine partly as a divorce present from Emperor Napoleon. Josephine was involved with the commission but eventually lost patience with the time taken to produce the set and though delivered to Château Malmaison on 1 April 1812 the service was rejected as the design was considered too severe. On return to the Sèvres factory the service included 72 plates with Egyptian scenes but when the service was given by Louis XVIII to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) in 1818 for his assistance in helping to restore the Bourbon monarchy, only 66 of these plates were accounted for. Ten plates in total (including four extras) had therefore been dispersed or lost (Musée national d Céramique, Sèvres MNC.1800 and 21630 - one of the extra plates, MNC.26308 - one of the missing plates from the service, also BM M&ME 1993,6-10,1 - possibly a trial plate).
Until 1979 the surviving service remained with the Dukes of Wellington when it was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum. Today one plate C.124:34-1979 is displayed at the V&A, the remaining service is on loan to English Heritage and displayed at Apsley House, London.

C.127-1979