Derby Porcelain Allegorical Figure of Europe, C. 1760

A fine Derby figure of a young girl representing Europe from the series The Four Quarters of the Globe. She stands barefoot on a naturalistic base, dressed in exotic robes, holding an orb in her right hand and a scepter in her left. The inscription "Europe" is in gold on the front of the base. There are traces of patches on the base.

Material: Soft-paste porcelain

Height: 26.1 cm

Weight: 964 grams

Reference: Derby Porcelain Figures, Bradshaw, entry number 200, plate 249.

Condition: Small chips on a few flower petals, small firing lines on the neck and back, minor loss of gilding. Otherwise, in excellent antique condition.

Figurines from this series are highly sought after by collectors and occupy prestigious places in the most famous museums worldwide.

The Derby Porcelain factory traces its roots back to the late 1740s when Andrew Planché, a Walloon Huguenot refugee, began making simple porcelain toys shaped like animals in his backyard. In 1756, Staffordshire enameller William Duesbury and banker John Heath partnered with Planché to establish a new porcelain factory. This venture grew into the largest factory of its time, acquiring the bankrupted Chelsea and Bow factories, as well as the stock of several other workshops, including that of James Giles. The combination of various traditions, porcelain-making skills, and sophisticated clientele enabled Duesbury to create one of the finest porcelain factories of the 18th and 19th centuries, which, after many ups and downs, is still in operation today.

At its 18th-century peak, the factory's reputation was so esteemed that in self-published advertising material, the "Derby Porcelain Manufactory" proudly proclaimed itself to be "the second Dresden."

Duesbury maintained what would now be termed "retail space" independent of the Chelsea works, at a former pub – The Castle Tavern – in Bedford Street, Covent Garden. This space served both as a warehousing facility and an exhibition area and was the shopfront for what had by then become "a very thriving and lucrative trade." Derby porcelain was hand-painted, some with Imari patterns, in London at the Chelsea premises, and the output from this dual operation is known as Chelsea Derby. Eventually, the Chelsea site was closed, and the name Derby continued in increasingly splendid isolation, to the point where continued royal patronage allowed Duesbury to append a crown to his trademark, giving birth to Royal Crown Derby Porcelain. Notably, Duesbury also used representations of the marks used on Sèvres, Dresden, and Berlin-made porcelain, as he considered his own wares superior to all other sources except for those three.

Antique British porcelain is rarely perfect. Kilns were fired with coal, which often resulted in firing specks from flying particles. British makers were also known for their experimentation, sometimes leading to technically imperfect results. Due to kiln shrinkage, items may develop small firing lines or crazing over time, which should not be viewed as damage but rather as imperfections in the maker's recipes, likely unknown at the time of production. Items that have been used for many years may show normal signs of wear, and gilt may exhibit slight disintegration even if never handled. Some minor scratches, nicks, stains, and gilt disintegration are normal for vintage items and should be taken into account.

Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance. It is important to note that shipping costs include labor, packaging, and postage.