CHINA, Compagnie des Indes, 18th century A large porcelain bottle cooler bearing the coat of arms of Louis XV with Imari decoration of flowering branches with fruit basket, pomegranate burst, prunus flowers, floral interlace braid surrounding reserves with foliage on the rim, stylised scroll braid on the base, shell-shaped handles H. 18 cm MFV Broken in two and repaired, chips and missing parts History: The order for the Compagnie des Indes service with the King's coat of arms: From 1700 onwards, ships were landing in China, which opened up the first-hand market to the Compagnie des Indes, and led to the development of the market for armorial dinner services, which became very fashionable from 1710-1720 onwards. To keep up with the fashion, in 1733 Louis XV ordered "twelve bidets with the King's coat of arms" to be made for the Compagnie, which he received between 1735 and 1737. The result of this first order pleased the King, who then asked for a table service. On 2 June 1738, he asked the directors of the Compagnie des Indes to "have various pieces of porcelain made to the royal coat of arms, in accordance with the brief that has been submitted to him". This memorandum, now lost, no doubt detailed the composition of the service. On 25 July 1740, the vessels Le Condé and Le Duc arrived in Lorient with the service, which was probably delivered to Louis XV the following month. In the absence of the order memorandum, the exact composition of this royal ensemble remains unknown. Louis XV probably intended this armorial service for his new winter dining room, which was fitted out on the second floor of Versailles in 1738. The service was placed on the royal table during Louis XV's cabinet dinners, before being dethroned in 1753 by the celestial blue service supplied by the Vincennes manufactory, whose development diverted the King from his China set. The service is absent from the inventories of the Château de Versailles drawn up in the 18th century, and only a few pieces appear in certain inventories of porcelain drawn up at the end of the Ancien Régime. The service was dispersed among several royal houses, including Versailles, Marly and Rambouillet. During the Revolution, the presence of the coat of arms of France led to the destruction of some pieces, while others were sold. At one of the last sales of the garde meuble collection, which had become national, on 2 Vendémiaire An VI (23 September 1797), two gardes magasins delivered "four buckets of various sizes in painted and gilded Japanese porcelain with the arms of France (...) Sold under n°226". (A.N., O2 430, dr.22, p.74) The buckets kept at the Musée Condé in Chantilly and at the Musée de la Marine may have belonged to this disposed lot. Bibliography: CASTELLUCCIO, Stéphane. La Chine à Versailles,2014, p 95.