A very rare form from a rather rare American Market dinner service, this beautiful Chinese export porcelain reticulated fruit basket is centrally-decorated with an image of the Chinese Pagoda at Whampoa surrounded by floral motifs borrowed from the classic Fitzhugh pattern. It is from a service ordered to celebrate the wedding of Samuel Cabot, Jr. of Boston (1784-1863) to Eliza Perkins of Philadelphia in 1812. The image of the Pagoda an appropriate design alluding to Cabot’s China Trade connections as he entered the business 1817 and retired in 1838 one of the wealthiest merchants in New England. The basket design most likely after English forms of the period and a remarkable survivor; measuring 9 1/2″ in diameter x 3 1/8″ tall and in good condition with no substantial damage, the only minor losses and minor restoration appearing to be around the rim of the piece.  The service mentioned and a piece illustrated in Schiffer’s China for America, page 192 (although they seem to incorrectly name Miss Perkins’ groom as Dr. Samuel Cabot who was born in 1815!) . The reverse with an Elinor Gordon collection sticker as well as a Met Museum reference label.