50 - Two porcelain plates with heraldic decoration for the French market (Suffren de Saint Tropez), China. Qianlong period (1736–1795), circa 1765. The plates are decorated in “Famille Rose” glazes, with garlands of flowers along the rim and, in the center, the Suffren de Saint-Tropez coat of arms: Azure, a saltire argent accompanied by four leopard heads Or. Dimensions: 22 cm. A few chips along the rim on both plates.

Two porcelain plates with heraldic decoration for the French market (Suffren de Saint Tropez), China. Qianlong period (1736–1795), circa 1765. The plates are decorated in “Famille Rose” glazes, with garlands of flowers along the rim and, in the center, the Suffren de Saint-Tropez coat of arms: Azure, a saltire argent accompanied by four leopard heads Or. Dimensions: 22 cm. A few chips along the rim on both plates. Joseph-Jean-Baptiste de Suffren was born into a prominent family of the Provençal nobility. Son of Paul de Suffren, Lord of Saint-Tropez, Marquis of Saint-Cannat, and Chief Prosecutor of the Province of Provence, and of Hiéronyme de Bruny, Lady of Saint-Cannat, he was the older brother of the famous Pierre-André de Suffren (1729–1788), known as the Bailiff of Suffren, who became Vice Admiral of France and distinguished himself as one of the great French naval officers of the 18th century. Among his brothers were also Louis-Jérôme de Suffren, the future bishop of Sisteron, who likewise commissioned a porcelain service, as well as Paul de Suffren, a Knight of Malta and captain of the Order’s ships. Unlike his brothers, who served in the Navy or the Church, Joseph-Jean-Baptiste pursued a military career in the cavalry. He served as a cavalry field marshal, Knight of Saint Louis, and commander for the king of the town and citadel of Saint-Tropez, before serving as first consul of Aix-en-Provence in 1779–1780. On February 21, 1744, he married Louise-Pulchérie-Gabrielle de Goëbriand, daughter of the Count de Goëbriand, a field marshal, and Marie-Rosalie de Châtillon.