wife of August III. bearing the coat-of-arms of the Prince Electorate of Saxony “Kurfürstlich-Sächsischem Wappen”, porcelain, the lid and body with drapery, decorated with narrow and wide gilt edging, open work lattice- and chain decoration, wide bands with delicately painted gilt leafy vines, the lid with a crown on a cushion, on the facing side and reverse with armorial cartouches, both supported by 2 cupids, small and large cartouches containing polychrome painted landscape and views with elegant figures, narrow panels with purple painted lake views, the inside of the lid encrusted with white flowers, the underside of the lid moulded with polychrome "indianische" flowering- and leafy branches, body with gilt interior, the handles in the form of sculpted female busts with plumes, on the facing side and reverse with 2 cupids, holding white cloths and floral garlands, tiered gilt base with rocailles heightened with gilt and small volute feet, height: 19 cm, length: 15 cm, small restorations;
Meissen, underglaze blue crossed swords mid-19th cent., model no. B 136, former no. 90, gilt painter no. 8, design by Johann Joachim Kändler 1738 (Ru)

Lit.: Die Arbeitsberichte des Meissener Porzellanmodelleur, Johann Joachim Kändler 1706- 1774, Leipzig 2002, p 57; Lit.: Ernst Zimmermann, Meissner Porzellan, Leipzig 1926, p 140, “In 1738, on the order of King August III., Johann Joachim Kändler created a so-called thread box ("Drüselkästchen") for Queen Maria Josepha, i.e. a container for loose threads used in embroidery and similar.
He gave it the form of a small, slightly squat lidded tureen decorated with elaborate Baroque ornaments and encompassed by little boys holding fabrics, coat-of-arms, and garlands, as well as two female heads decorated with plumes; whereas the lid shows two more boys upholding the royal crown".