Object Description
A fine antique German porcelain twin handled fruit basket by prolific makers Meissen and dating from the Marcolini period 1774 to 1814. The fruit basket stands raised on four Greek key key shaped legs with decorative terminals with a neoclassical oval shaped body with pierced looped sides applied with small flower heads and a large central leaf with raised square cut handles applied to either end. The bowl is decorated internally with hand painted Deutsche Blumen with painted elements to the outer bowl and with gilt line border decoration and patterned lower edge. The underside of the bowl is applied with a central shield shaped leaf design glazed with gilded edges and set against an unglazed ground. The bowl has an incised pattern mark F563 and with an underglaze crossed sword mark to the base of one the legs.
Ref. See Tatton Park National Trust Collection for a similar pair of baskets, ref. NT1296736, variations in decoration.