LONDON, ENGLAND.- Minister for Culture, David Lammy, has placed a temporary export bar on a Meissen porcelain vase from a garniture made in 1740 as a royal gift from Augustus III, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, to Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo, Venetian Ambassador to Naples.

The vase is 40.3 centimetres high. It bears the ‘AR’ monogram (for ‘Augustus Rex’) in underglaze blue and a workman’s mark ‘XII’ is incised at the footrim. One side of the vase is painted with a naval battle, probably the Battle of Lepanto, and the arms of the Mocenigo and Cornaro families, and the other side is painted with figures beside a pavilion and pool in a landscape. The vase is beautifully designed and proportioned and very finely painted in enamels and gilt. It is exceptionally well documented, due to the recent discovery of letters written by Joseph Gabaleon, Count Wackerbarth-Salmour, to Count Brühl, Prime Minister of Saxony and Director of the Meissen factory.

The Minister’s ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art that the export decision be deferred. This reflects the vase’s outstanding significance for the study of Meissen porcelain and for the wider study of diplomatic gifts in 18th century Europe. The vase was recorded in an inventory of Arniston House, Midlothian, of 1868 and its Scottish provenance also makes it of great interest for the history of collecting in Scotland.

The deferral will enable purchase offers to be made at the following agreed fair market price:

A Meissen porcelain armorial baluster vase and cover, 1740, deferred at the recommended price of £100,502.28 (inclusive of VAT), until after 17 July 2005 with the possibility of an extension until after 17 Ocober 2005 if there is a serious intention to raise funds with a view to making an offer to purchase.

Anyone interested in making an offer to purchase the vase should contact the owner’s agent through:

The Secretary
The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)
83 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0HW