Vienna Porcelain Covered Milk Jug, c. 1794

Fine Sorgenthal period Royal Vienna porcelain milk jug, well painted with children and their dog playing with soap bubbles. The cover has an artichoke finial and a narrow pink lustre border with raised gilding. Likewise, the cylindrical body, which stands on three scroll feet, has similar decoration, an elegant strap handle and a gilt decorated spout. The quality of the painting is just wonderful, as is the raised gilding.

The bottom with the underglaze blue shield mark, impressed date stamp (17)94, impressed turner #12, and incised V. Unidentified gold monogram to the cover. (See photo.)

This elegant little jug comes from a coffee service called a cabaret, which comprised a small coffeepot, milk jug and a sugar basin, all on a matching tray. Cabarets with one cup and saucer were called solitaires and those with two were called tete-a-tete. A complete solitaire with decoration derived from the same set of engravings is in the Marton Museum in Croatia. (See photo.) While the engravings have not been identified, the museum catalogue suggests they're English. (1)

(1) Dr. Claudia Lehner Jobst, et al, "La Magie de la Porcelaine Vienne Sevres St. Petersbourg" (Samobor: Musee Marton, 2009) p. 329.