Dinner service of King Pedro III

Dinner, tea, coffee and chocolate service made in white porcelain with overglaze enamels from the “pink family” and gilt. The porcelain set was a royal commission placed by King Pedro III.
The plates and serving dishes have shaped rims ringed in gold, with a pink grid pattern and small flowers. The pieces, decorated by a border of “fer-de-lance" in “rouge de fer” and gold tones, display the Royal Arms placed over the cross of the Order of Malta (barely perceptible), of which King Pedro was the 16th Grand Prior of Crato. These decorative motifs are repeated on all the pieces of the service, frequently being associated with the engraved and moulded relief decoration that appears on some objects, namely the sugar-bowl, teapot, tureens and gravy boat.
This service, inspired upon western models, was acquired in 1775, as stated in an additament to the inventory of Queluz of 1767, and it accompanied the Royal Family during their stay in Brazil. The collection of the Palace of Queluz still has a total of 123 pieces.

(Extract from Catálogo do Inventário de Cerâmica do Palácio Nacional de Queluz, Inês Ferro, pp. 66, 67 and 68).