Store Kongensgade and Chinese fashion

In 1616, at the instigation of the Dutchmen Jan de Willum and Herman Rosenkranz, King Christian IV authorised the founding of The East-India Company. The company was allotted a three-storied building at Gammel Strand in Copenhagen. This building is depicted in Johan Dircksen’s famous view of Copenhagen from 1611, located today at The National Museum. The purpose of the company was to promote Danish trade interests in “East-India, China, Japan and other East-Indian countries”.

Hitherto, Denmark had relied on other nations, such as Holland, for its supplies of e.g. “Kraak” porcelain or “Indian stoneware” as it was called in Denmark at that time. In addition to the expensive white stoneware, The East-Indian Company also brought other fine rarities and curiosities back home to Denmark, e.g. Chinese compasses for geomancy, figures carved in ivory, silk and tea.

In the middle of the 18th century Ludvig Holberg describes a Norwegian peasant’s views on tea: “(…) he once saw Admiral of the Fleet Ove Gedde drinking tea, and on another occasion, he saw him eating salad, which he believed to have happened due to sheer poverty on Gedde’s behalf – he said: Dear me, Ove Gedde is surely done for, for he is eating grass and drinking water.” This quote shows a clear tendency in the age: Tea and other Chinese curios were met with suspicion.

Later, this strange brew became fashionable in Court circles and among the higher classes, which created a demand for the proper paraphernalia that would allow people to serve and imbibe this exotic beverage in a presentable manner. The first Chinese tea pots came to Denmark in 1656 and in the ensuing years. In the 18th century, the tea urn had become a standard feature of the household, and tray-top tea tables in faience became the most cherished piece of furniture for the placement of these tea urns, partly for practical and security-related reasons, but also because many tray-top tea tables were made in extremely high artistic quality.

The Store Kongensgade manufactory rose to become the leading and most groundbreaking producer within this area. The history of the manufactory can be divided into two periods. The first period spans the years from 1721 to 1750, under the leadership of Johan Wolff and Johan Ernst Pfau, the latter managed the manufactory from as early as 1727. The other period unfolds throughout the years from approximately 1749 to 1769 under the administration of brewer Christian Gierløf. In 1722 the manufactory applied for and was awarded sole and exclusive right to produce blue and white glaze stoneware in Denmark, Norway and the principality of Schleswig. Decorations would range from the quite simple with patterns that covered the entire tray, framed it or only partially covered it in the form of ornamentation to the later, more asymmetrical decorations that were inspired by the Rococo idiom.

A fine specimen from the second period of the history of the Store Kongensgade manufactory will be offered for sale at the upcoming auction No. 111 in Vejle. It concerns a Rococo tea tray table from approximately 1750 with a tray in faience, decorated in blue and depicting horsemen in a landscape surrounded by rocaille cartouche and ornamental edging. The frame is in stained and gilt fruit tree. A similar kind of decoration with the same edging and ornamentation on the rim is mentioned in Jørgen Ahlefeldt-Lauervig’s book “Fajancer, fra fabrikken i St. Kongensgade”, depicted as Fig. 65, 69, 76 and 79. Other similar items are represented in e.g. David’s Collection, at The Danish Museum of Art and Design and at Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg.

Preview: August 8th - 13th, Pedersholm in Vejle

Auction: August 14th - 16th, Pedersholm in Vejle