Of small globular form with slightly shaped spout and 'C' shaped ribbed and moulded handle, meticulously painted on both sides in overglaze enamels,with the Fengerske family armorial of a blackbird on a branch within a shaped cartouche highlighted in gold, outlined in red, a hand extending from a golden coronet, holding a key; above the cartouche a monogram; on either side, the well delineated figures of Neptune and Hermes, seated in what looks like the forecastle of a ship, with barrels and bales of cloth etched in fine black lines and painted in overglaze blue enamels; on the handle of the spout raised work, partly gilded; the rim with a thin golden wreath of serrated leaves outlined in red; the cover painted with two cartouches, the knop in the shape of a fruit gilded; the footrim unglazed, the base glazed.
Literature
For another example of a motif depicting Neptune on Chinese porcelain see A Catalogue of Oriental Ceramics and Works of Art (no 3) compiled by Anita Gray, page 64, Plate 83, a rare blue and white bowl, cover and stand, painted after a European engraving by Frederich Bloemart (d.1669) shows Neptune triumphant with trident aloft. The original for this design is the baroque drawing by Abraham Bloemart (1564-1651) which was later engraved by his son Frederick. For other examples see Claire le Corbellier, China Trade Porcelains: Patterns of Exchange, p 66 fig 45 (dated c 1730); Howard and Ayers, China for the West, London & New York 1978, fig 336; Beurdeley, Porcelain of the East India Companies, Cat no 135;, Scheurleer Chinese Export Porcelain : Chine de Commande, London 1974.
