Large hard porcelain vase. Royal Manufactory; Berlin, 1863. An ovoid model with side handles ending in a griffin's head on a matt gold base. The neck reveals a frieze of oak leaves in matt gold on a satin gold base, The central part is decorated on one side with a large rectangular polychrome scene depicting Babelsberg castle surrounded by its gardens and on the other side with an exterior view of the Kronprinz palace in Berlin based on works by the painter Carl Daniel Feydanck (1811-1887), bordered by a gold frieze on a blue background. The lower part is decorated with a large frieze of oak leaves in matt gold ending on a square base with a satin-finish gold background. Slight age wear to the neck, title faded, but overall very good condition. Mark: KPM, Berlin (period 1849-1870), N°III - 1863. With base: H.: 68.5 cm - W.: 38 cm. History: Babelsberg Palace, built in Potsdam between 1834 and 1849, was the summer residence of Prince William of Prussia (later William I (1797-1888), son of King Frederick William III (1770-1840). Two other palaces had already been built for his brothers, Charlottenhof for Prince Frederick William (later Frederick William IV (1795-1840)) and Glienicke for Prince Charles (1801-1883). Babelsberg was a completely modern building designed in the fashionable Gothic style by the architect Charles-Frédéric Schinkel (1781-1841), on a vast estate overlooking Glienicke. Wilhelm's brother, Prince Frederick William, came to the throne in 1840 and took possession of the castle, which was transformed by Ludwig Persius and Heinrich Strack. A large ballroom was added with an elaborate façade, towers and a belvedere; some of these later additions can be seen in the representation on one side of our vase. See Gert Streidt and Klaus Frahm for a full discussion of the history and development of Schloß Babelsberg, Potsdam, Palaces and Gardens of the Hohenzollern, Cologne, 1996, pp. 198-213. The other side of the vase depicts the Kronprinz Palace in Berlin. The palace is a symbol of German history over the last four centuries. Originally designed as a private residence for the Secretary of State Johann Martitz, the building was rebuilt in 1732 in Baroque style by Johann Philipp Gerlach for King Frederick II of Prussia. His grand-nephew, King Frederick William III (1770-1840), made it his principal residence and commissioned the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel to fit out several rooms, as well as constructing the Princess Palace, a neighbouring building linked by a footbridge that can be seen in this image. The residence was subsequently occupied by the Crown Princes of Prussia and their families until the fall of the House of Hohenzollern. Reference: a closely related vase on a white background enhanced with gold motifs, presented on a porcelain base, is similar to our example sold by the Coutau-Begarie study on 20 December 2021 under no. 236, bearing no. I and dated 1861. The latter could be paired with the one representing a view of the Nouveau Palais and Sanssouci, sold on 7 October 1996 under lot 304 at Christie's. This pair is known to have been a gift from Emperor Frederick III to the doctor of his wife, née Princess Victoria of Great Britain, after the birth of their son William (later William II) in 1859. Another vase of the same shape and decorated with the same view of Babelsberg Castle was sold at Sotheby's in London on 9 July 1997 as lot 197. All the large vases of this quality produced by the KPM manufactory were official commissions and often presented as gifts by Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888).