Literature

William Beckford, the celebrated English collector, was in Paris in the 1790s and ordered various works of art.

He purchased a set of 72 plates from the Sèvres manufactory in March 1792 decorated with ‘parasol Chinois, arabesques’ costing 33 livres each. In November of that year he purchased a further 48 plates with the same decoration listed but at the slightly higher price of 39 livres each. This second group was sold by the factory through the Parisian dealer Madame Lefebure as noted for 'Milord Betford'.

The difference in price has been proposed to be for more elaborate painted decoration in the central rosette of the second group.

Of this group of ten plates, eight have pink roses alone so would be from the March 1792 delivery. Two of these plates are painted with the same pink roses plus other flowers in the centre of the well, so they would be from the November 1792 deliver. This is a common difference seen over the years with other examples of plates of this pattern of border decoration.

Monsieur Christian Dior had a group of plates from this set in his personal collection.