Painted with chinoiserie scenes and exotic birds on a white ground, the garniture of three vases was purchased by Marie-Antoinette in December 1779 at the end-of-year sale held at Versailles. Given her taste at the time for white and gold interior decorative schemes and oriental lacquer, these vases with their chinoiserie themes and finely chased gilt bronze mounts would have fitted well in her refined apartments. The acquisition in 2004 by HM The Queen of the single vase reunited this garniture for the first time since the French Revolution.