Sauceboat with Cover and Ladle (One of Pair)
Decorative Arts and Design

Sauceboat with Cover and Ladle (One of Pair)
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
Chelsea Factory
Date
ca. 1755
Medium
Porcelain
Accession #
1984.56.1 A-C
Dimensions
lid: 6 x 10 3/8 x 8 inches
sauceboat: 5 3/4 x 7 7/8 x 2 3/4 inches
ladle: 1 1/8 x 7 7/8 x 2 3/4 inches
Location
On View - Stent Family Wing, Level 2, Gallery 200
Description
The plaice, a slimy flatfish native to western European waters, seems an unlikely inspiration for these sophisticated porcelain sauceboats. However, its use is in keeping with Chelsea’s botanical decorations on plates and dishes and its production of tureens and other forms in shapes of rabbits, hens, fruits, and vegetables. While the shape of the sauceboats reflects a fascination with nature, the notion of shaping the spoons as eels—with heads as the bowls and wriggly tails as the handles—reveals a striking playfulness. Although they are now missing their stands, the sauceboats are distinguished among surviving examples because their spoons have been retained.