Derby Porcelain Figure of Recumbent Ram, Georgian 1759-1769

View Similar Items

Derby Porcelain Figure of Female Ranelagh Dancer, Rococo 1759-1769

Derby Porcelain Figure of Neptune and Dolphin on a Shell, ca 1785

Derby Porcelain Figure of Musician with Flageolet and Tabor, Rococo, Ca 1765

Antique Derby English Porcelain Figure of Children in a Garden

Large 18th-Century Derby Porcelain Figure Emblematic of Africa

Derby Figure of Shepherdess with Garlanded Lamb, ca 1760

Bloor Derby Pair of Porcelain Figures, Stag and Doe, circa 1765-1820

Antique White Glazed Porcelain Recumbent Hound Figure

Bloor Derby Porcelain Figure of a Seated Turk C.1820

Pair of Derby Mansion House Dwarf Figures porcelain, 19th Century

Seal, I Still Hope, Derby Porcelain Works, circa 1760

Bow Porcelain Figure of Boy or Putto on C-Scroll Base, Georgian circa 1760

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 15

Derby Porcelain Figure of Recumbent Ram, Georgian 1759-1769

About the Item

This is a stunning Derby porcelain figure of a recumbent ram made between 1759 and 1769, which was the Georgian era. The figure is one half of a set; originally it had a female companion. The item has three patch marks. The Derby Porcelain factory has its roots in the late 1740s, when André Planché, a Walloon Huguenot refugee, started making simple porcelain toys shaped like animals. Local entrepreneur William Duysbury took an interest in his skills and worked with him to improve the quality of his wonderfully shaped items. Together they laid the foundations for what would become a very refined tradition of figure making at Derby. In 1769 Duysbury bought up the bankrupted Chelsea factory, incorporating their reputation for high quality figures and tableware; this combination of traditions, porcelain making skills, sophisticated clients and available work people created one of the best porcelain factories of the 18th and 19th centuries, which after many ups and downs is still operative today. Derby started making this figure (and its companion) in circa 1759. The ram is recumbent and looking slightly backwards, and it is famous for the beautiful melancholic expression on its face. The figure has a simple base without scrolls and just some small encrusted flowers. These figures were used to adorn the dinner table when dessert was served; groups of figures served to express something about the host, the guests, or to direct the conversation. One popular topic was an array of romantic rural characters and farm animals. The figure has three stilt marks from firing but no further marking. This figure is known under number E84 and an image can be seen in Peter Bradshaw's "Derby Porcelain Figures 1750-1848" in plate 106, page 121. Condition report: The figure is in good condition although it has a repair to the bent front leg and the area below it, as is visible in the pictures. The encrusted flowers have some losses. One of the horns has been repaired and touched up, but this is not visible with the naked eye. The ram still looks beautiful particularly from the front, where the repaired area is not visible. Antique British porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account. There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Dimensions: 12cm (4.75") wide, 6.5cm (2.5") high.

Creator:
Derby (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)Width: 4.75 in (12.07 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Style:
Rococo (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Porcelain
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1760-1769
Date of Manufacture:
1759-1769
Condition:
Repaired: Bent front leg has been repaired, as well as the area below it, as visible in the pictures. One of the horns has been invisibly touched up. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. In good condition with repair to leg and some minor losses to encrusted flowers.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: A-DER351stDibs: LU4805119931822