A Vienna (Sorgenthal) gold-ground teapot and cover, c.1796, finely painted with pendant swags of ivy below a garland of flowers between purple bands, the rim, shallow-domed cover and borders with raised gilt decoration, the cover interior richly gilt, impressed 96 and 33, 12.7cm highNote: For a slightly earlier teapot (of circa 1780) of related form (but with a curved spout), see E.W. Braun, Geschichte der K. K. Wiener Porzellan-Manufaktur, Vienna, 1907, pl. XVIII. Overall this teapot is in very good condition the gilding and coloured enamels are bright and vibrant. There is some very slight wear to the tip of the spout this is very minor indeed, and there are two small areas of slight flaking to the gilding on the cover one below the finial and the other near the purple band borders around the edge neither are very noticeable and both are minor. There are a few further minute flakes to the gilt body, and there are areas of very slight wear to the burnished gilding (which do not penetrate through to the white porcelain beneath). This teapot is remarkably fresh in appearance.