117 pieces, porcelain, white glazed, relief gold edged decoration, all pieces with raised golden imperial double eagle arms, consisting of: 12 soup plates, 36 dinner plates, 12 tortoise shell soup cups with lids, 8 sauce boats with saucers, 8 ladles, 1 large covered serving dish, 16 covered dishes (various sizes), 7 assorted plates, 4 condiment sets, 2 mustard pots with spoons, some leaves missing from lids, 1 knob damaged, some wear, large lidded serving dish 38 x 27 cm, height 28,5 cm, dia. plates 24 cm, produced by Gräflich Thunsche Porcelain Factory, Klösterle, Bohemia, base with blind embossed "TK", most with year (1)851-(1)858, some with white ware turner numbers, (Lu)

Magnificent and extensive imperial table service.

Provenance:
Empress Elisabeth of Austria and descendants.

Literature:
Herbert Chryspolitus Winkler, Ehemalige Hofsilber- und Tafelkammer, Sammlungskatalog, B D. I, Wien 1996, Kat. Nr. 164, 165 with ill.

The imperial white and gold coat of arms service.
After abdicating and retreating to Prague, Emperor Ferdinand I was in need of a table service for his own personal use. The prestigious task of creating one was assigned to the Count Thun Porcelain Factory in Klösterle. The special design for the emperor was named ‘Ferdinand’. The service was commissioned and executed in 1851. After Emperor Ferdinand’s death in 1875, his nephew, Emperor Franz Joseph I, inherited the imperial service and gave it to his wife, Empress Elisabeth, as a present. The empress employed the service for personal use. (Cf. B. Hamann/E. Hassmann (ed.), Elisabeth, Stationen ihres Lebens, Vienna/Munich 1998, p. 92–97). The inventory lists the table service as ‘Service No. 1, Weiß mit Gold, Wappen en relief’ [service no. 1, white and gold, coat of arms in relief]).