Königliche Porzellanmanufaktur Berlin KPM Lot n° 74

Table mirror from a Frederician toilet service Porcelain, coloured overglaze decoration, predominantly in sea green and light purple, gilding, ebonized wood, mirror glass. Model 161, fired in several pieces, mounted on the wooden support with screws. Folding stand at the back. Smooth break in the left side strip, restorations to individual leaf edges, the tip of the rocaille grid at the top and the flowers in her hair. H 59.5, W 38.5 cm. Berlin, KPM, circa 1768. Three other versions of this rare table mirror are known to date: 1. the example published by Lenz in 1913, "gold, pink and green painted", formerly owned by Margarete Oppenheim (1857 - 1935). 2. the example published by Köllmann, then in the Karl-Heinz Wadsack collection, painted green, yellow and enamel blue. 3. the unstaffed example that appeared in the Orangerie auction in 2017. Lenz mentions several mirrors that were delivered to the king in the achivalic tables with the excerpts from Frederick II's treasury accounts. The first were delivered in 1767, proudly recorded with the comment "Two mirror frames, one 14 1/2 feet high, 3 feet wide, and the other 12 1/4 feet high, 3 feet wide, made and delivered to the king's utmost satisfaction to the new palace at Sans Souci." Under the date of delivery on 18.6. 1768 is the entry "2 compl. colorful gemd. Toilets with natural flowers and gold mosaic pp.". On December 21, 1768, the manufactory delivered "3 compl. toilets all white, each consisting of 2 candlesticks, 1 mirror, 1 large, 2 medium square toilet boxes, 2 poudre tins, 2 large, 2 medium, 2 small tins for pomade pp., 2 spirit bottles, 2 needle plates, 2 small, 2 large brushes, 1 washbasin together with 1 watering can and 1 soap ball tin". A few years later, with delivery on 25.7. 1774, there is also "1 complete toilet and mirror of 39 pieces with colorful natural flowers and gold edging". The popularity of these sets as prestigious gifts gives an idea of how important the daily ritual of body care and maquillage was at court. Wigs and powders created a uniform, well-groomed appearance that concealed revealing physical flaws and overly individual features. Every member of the royal court underwent this "grande toilette" procedure, which also included elaborate dressing. All of this took up a large part of the day. Lavishly forged silver toilet sets came into fashion in France under King Louis XIV. From the end of the 17th century, the Augsburg silversmiths produced large boxes with numerous pieces of furniture, which were distributed throughout Europe as orders or gifts. The first individual pieces made of porcelain or with porcelain handles were produced by the royal Meissen manufactory from the early 1730s. After the Seven Years' War and the takeover of the Berlin porcelain manufactory by Frederick II, toilet vessels and objects were also produced there to meet the needs of the court. Literature See Lenz, Berlin Porcelain. Die Manufaktur Friedrichs des Grossen 1763 - 1786, 1st vol., Berlin 1913, ill. 588. Cf. Preußische Akademie der Künste zu Berlin (ed.), Meisterwerke aus den preussischen Schlössern, Berlin 1930, no. 115. Cf. Köllmann/Jarchow, Berliner Porzellan, illustrated book, Munich 1987, no. 605, deceased. Christie's London, May 1, 2002, lot 45. Cf. auction Orangerie Berlin on November 30, 2017, lot 336, an unpainted white example.