Page 25 - Tabor Collection Christie's New York April 10 2019

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AN EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE SPANISH ARMORIAL PLATTER
QIANLONG PERIOD, CIRCA 1783
From the second armorial dinner service made for José de Gálvez y Gallardo,
1st Marquis of Sonora, the rim bordered with puce and gilt foral festoons
24½ in. (62.3 cm.) long
$5,000-7,000
PROVENANCE:
Enrique Rivero Lake, Mexico City.
LITERATURE:
William R. Sargent, Chinese Porcelain in the Conde Collection, Madrid, 2014,
p.132, no. 34.
José de Gálvez y Gallardo, 1st Marquis of Sonora, was a key fgure in the
Viceroyalty of New Spain. He began his political career with the purchase
of a governorship in the Philippines, later becoming private secretary to
Secretary of State Grimaldi and a tribunal judge. In 1765 he was appointed
Inspector General of New Spain, a very powerful post, and honorary member
of the Council of Indies. During his tenure in New Spain he improved its
administration and fnances as well as strengthening its colonization of
California. His career continued successfully after his 1772 return to Spain
and he was granted the Marquis of Sonora title in 1785.

Gálvez ordered two large Chinese export services, the frst in 1775, both
with large and extravagant serving pieces. See Rocío Díaz, Chinese Armorial
Porcelain for Spain, pp. 244-49 and 288-91, where the author illustrates the
cargo register from the Spanish frigate Asunción that lists the initialed crates
José de Gálvez y Gallardo, Marquis of Sonora, oil on canvas
that held this porcelain ordered by "the Most Honourable José de Golbez" [sic]
Courtesy of the Junipero Serra Museum, San Diego, California
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