DOPE
The highlight of the collection is the Service Visage Noir, which is known to be an extremely rare and early set of Picasso plates. Picasso’s trademark style shows up in form of mischievous and playful motif of fauns’ heads. Only 100 such sets of thirteen plates were made of which very few sets comprising of all the plates have hit the auction block. Not only is this set complete, but it also has a consistent shade of deep emerald green in the decoration. Estimated to fetch $65,000 to $113,000, this rare set of Service Visage Noir offered in sale is one of the first ceramic editions Picasso created. It was originally presented as a wedding gift to Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan by the town of Vallauris in 1949. Consisting of one large plate and 12 small plates, each piece of the set is stamped and marked ‘Madoura Plein Feu/D’Apres Picasso/Edition Picasso’.