Courting Couple Figural Porcelain Inkstand

Description

This is a figural porcelain desk set, specifically designed as a combined inkwell and pounce pot (sander).

• Subject Matter: The piece depicts a romantic couple in 18th-century Rococo-style dress (often referred to as Galante figures). They are seated intimately on a high-backed sofa or settee.
• Decorative Style: The sofa features a mustard-yellow exterior with dark stylized “spots” (a common German decorative motif of the era) and deep purple interior upholstery. The figures are hand-painted with gold gilt accents on their waistcoats and dresses.
• Functionality: The upper section (the couple and the top of the sofa) is a removable lid. This reveals a base with two recessed circular chambers:
  • The Inkwell: The open-top vessel held liquid ink.
  • The Pounce Pot (Sander): The vessel with the perforated lid held “pounce” or fine sand, which was sprinkled over wet ink to dry it before the invention of blotting paper.

Maker Identification: Schoenau & Swaine

The “S&S” mark specifically identifies the maker as Schoenau & Swaine (also known as Porzellanfabrik Schoenau, Swaine & Co.).

• Location: Based in Hüttensteinach, Thuringia, Germany.
• Era: This company was established around 1892. Given the style and the “S&S” mark, this piece likely dates from 1892 to roughly 1915.

The Mark “S&S 134”

The impressed mark on the bottom provides the following information:

• S&S: The manufacturer’s initials (Schoenau & Swaine).
• 134: This is the model or mold number. In a factory setting, this helped workers identify which lid belonged to which base and allowed retailers to re-order specific designs from a catalog.
• The Brown Stamp: The blurry brown mark above the impressed letters is the remains of the factory’s stamped logo, which often featured a shield or a stylized “S” over “S.”