Lot Alfred de Rothschild, Halton House, Buckinghamshire, by Thence by descent. Acquired from Segoura, Paris, Lot Essay Nathaniel Parker-Forth was a British diplomat and espionage agent in the late 18th century.
He was sent to France at the start of the American revolution in , where he successfully integrated himself into the court of Versailles, becoming intimate friends with the Duke of Chartres.
When not in France, the Parker-Forths could often be found living in the London home of the duke, and they made themselves useful by purchasing racehorses for Chartres and assisting his surrogate daughters and mistress. It is interesting to note that the records here have a mistake, as two sucriers were sent instead of beurriers , likely due to a change in the original order.
It is rather remarkable that, besides these tea wares and one dessert plate presumably broken , that the service remains completely intact. See D. IV, p. The birds on the service, about specimens, some of which are repeated, are all based on engravings by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, sometimes in reverse, and frequently with modifications to the landscape setting.
Several of the birds also occur on the Auckland and Lefebvre services. The faisan de la Guiane , which appears on a terrine du Plessis is on a plate in the present service. View All.
