Very Early Lidded Pot

This is a really nice treat - a little pot with its original lid made during the very beginning of the Vienna factory around 1744. This piece is hand painted with two really detailed fruit still life scenes, two birds and a three butterflies as well as some nice puce trim to the edge as well as the spout and handle. Nice floral finial to the top. The scenes are amazingly well painted and even have the shadows udnerneath that one rarely ever sees except on Meissen from about 1740. Some of the best painting I have ever come across! The pot is marked with the under glaze blue shield / beehive mark as shown. It displays perfectly from either side but does have a long hairline crack that goes from the underside up the handle side and even through the bottom end of the handle which I have never seen before before underneath the top terminal of the handle. Perfectly stable so it won't get worse. Little bit of wear but really a rare and superb example even with the issue. The piece including the lid is 4.75 inches tall and has a diameter of about 3.25 inches and is about 4.75 inches from handle to spout. Please email me for more information or other pictures.