Plat en porcelaine de Meissen du service au Cygne, circa 1738

A Meissen dish from the Swan Service, circa 1738

Of the second size, modelled by J.J. Kaendler in low relief with swans swimming among bulrushes and a crane to the left with another in flight overhead, all on a shell-moulded ground, the rim painted with the arms of Brühl/Kolowrat-Krakowska, three flower sprigs and further scattered blooms, the rim with a gilt border', 30.3cm across, crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue (very minor wear to gilt rim)
Footnotes:
The Swan Service was ordered in 1736 for the director of the Meissen manufactory, Heinrich Graf von Brühl (1700-1763). A manufactory report of May 1736 states that: 'Ein neues Taffel Servis vor des H. Geh. Cabinet Minister von Brühl Excellenz von ganz neuer Façon verlanget worden sei' [a new table service was ordered for His Excellency the Privy Cabinet Minister von Brühl of entirely new design]. The pieces are painted with the marriage arms of Brühl and his wife, Maria Anna Franziska von Kolowrat-Krakowska (1712-1762), who married in April 1734.

The service originally comprised over 2,200 pieces, of which many remained in the family's possession until the Second World War. From around 1880, pieces were lent to museums in Dresden and Berlin or passed to private collectors, so that by 1900 only 1,400 pieces remained at the family's Silesian seat, Schloss Pförten. These remaining pieces were either destroyed along with the castle, or looted, at the end of the Second World War.

Circular dishes in five different sizes were produced from 1738: in June and July 1738, Johann Elias Grund finished 81 dishes of the second size, and Johann Martin Kittel produced 21 of the same size (U. Pietsch (ed.), Schwanenservice (2000). p. 158).

There is some scattered wear to the gilt border between approx. 6 and 7 o'clock. There are two further tiny spots of wear to the gilt border at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock.
Otherwise in good condition.