Only around 30 of this type are known, making them much harder to find than the other more celebrated ground colours pioneered by the factory at the disused royal Château de Vincennes in the early 1750s.
A sucrier (sugar bowl) emerged for sale at the Nantwich saleroom of Peter Wilson on July 8 where it was catalogued as Sèvres (the Paris suburb to which the factory moved under royal patronage in 1756), dated to the early 19th century and estimated at just £150-250.
Like many of the other survivors, this perfectly-preserved lidded sucrier is decorated with two vignettes of cherubs after an engraving by François Boucher in monochrome blue (camaïeu bleu). To the base in underglaze blue is a 'double Louis' factory mark for 1753 and a painter's mark for the artist A-V Vielliard.
Prior to the sale, specialist Chris Large had detected little excitement - save the interest of one potential buyer who asked how much cash he would be allowed to use in a single transaction.
Ultimately the contest came down to two phone lines and two bidders in the room. A UK buyer, thought to be a private collector, won through at £45,000 (plus 20% buyer's premium).
