Bourdaloue, Saint-petersburg, 1830-1860, Nicholls & Plincke, Solid Silver, « coach Pot »

Extremely rare Russian solid silver Bourdaloue or travel chamber pot with the master silversmith's mark of Nicholls and Plincke (NP) suppliers to the imperial court in Saint Petersburg between 1815 and 1870. The PK mark belongs to the master workshop owner who made the piece and belongs to Robert Kahun. They were the suppliers of the silverware contained in the trousseau of the daughters of Tsar Nicholas I. Despite its appearance as a sauceboat, this piece of Russian solid silver has a completely different function. It is in fact a small portable chamber pot or in English "coach pot" for ladies which enjoyed its heyday in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its name is said to be an ironic reference to a Jesuit father of the court of Versailles, Louis Bourdaloue (1632-1704). Nicknamed "the king of preachers and the preacher of kings", he is mainly known for having exercised his talents as an orator at the Royal Chapel, during long sermons that could last several hours. During these masses, in order to avoid the uncomfortable situation of having to hold back an urgent need without being able to leave the office, the ladies of the court resorted to this portable urinal. Discreetly placed under the pannier dresses, the container was then emptied around the religious building by diligent servants. Following this tradition, high society would therefore have used the bourdaloue discreetly but nevertheless in public. This method of operation was made possible thanks to a clothing custom of the time: the crotch of women's panties was in fact split, and this remained the case until the nineteenth century. The bourdaloue is therefore a witness to the evolution that took place between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century, from mobile hygiene furniture that was brought by servants to the installation of the fixed bathroom. Today, we have little information on this hygienic practice, contemporary official texts remaining modestly silent on the subject. It is therefore more than surprising to find the subject treated in a very explicit manner by one of the greatest artists of the 18th century. Indeed, François Boucher (1703-1770) chose in 1760 to make it the main subject of his painting "La Toilette intime". A photo of which is attached. Perfectly adapted to the female anatomy, the bourdaloue is oblong in shape, tightened in its center. The raised ends and inwardly curved edges prevent splashes on clothing, while a handle makes it easier to handle. Depending on the owner's means, she uses a common earthenware container or richly decorated luxury porcelain items. It is only rarely that one finds examples in solid silver commissioned by Serene or Imperial Highnesses. This is the only example I have found on the entire web in Russian silverwork. Weight 570 grams.