Superb Scenic Sugar Dish

This is a very early lidded sugar box made by Meissen in about 1745. I have rarely seen as nice a sugar dish from this period as this one if ever. It is superbly handpainted with four large merchant / harbor type scenes with lots of superb gilding around these scenes and some small flowers scattered in between. The lid has a large flower finial that is very nice. The detail of the scenes is stunning ad they are rather large. The really interesting thing is (I think) that on the main body scenes there is a much larger than usual figure to the right side which seems to be a later addition than the rest of the scene kind of like an afterthought or special request (but done at the time and at Meissen). One can see the old scene though them if you really look. Never seen anything like it! The gold trim is also very nice and quite detailed typical of the period. The box is in amazing condition with just some minor damage to mostly two petals of the flower finial. The dish with its lid is 4 inches tall including the finial and has a diameter of 4.625 inches. It is marked underneath with a gilders mark Z9. on an old unglazed type bottom. I am sure it once had blue crossed swords but they disappeared during the firing and time since which is not uncommon on these old unglazed bottom pieces but more common on figurines. Please email me for more information or other pictures.