Early Derby, Patch Period, Diana Figurine, William Duesbury & Co., Ca. 1765

Figure of Diana in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded. She appears ready for action, her right arm raised to take an arrow from a quiver on her back. In her left hand, which is at her side, she had a porcelain fitting for a bow. In her hair she wears a crescent, emblematic of the moon. She wears thonged sandals and a sash at her waist, while her loyal greyhound sits by her feet. The base, of swirled rococo scrollwork. Three 'patch marks' on the base.

The Derby Porcelain factory has its roots in the late 1740s, when Andrew Planché, a Walloon Huguenot refugee, started making simple porcelain toys shaped like animals in his back yard. In 1756 Staffordshire enameller William Duysbury and banker John Heath started a new porcelain factory with Planché and this was to grow out to the largest factory of its time, buying up 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 clients enabled Duesbury to create one of the best porcelain factories of the 18th and 19th Centuries, which after many ups and downs is still operative today.

The reputation of the factory’s output was at its 18th century peak and in self-published advertising material, the “Derby Porcelain Manufactory” was proclaiming 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 was both a warehousing facility and an exhibition area, and was the shopfront for what had by now become “a very thriving and lucrative trade”. Derby porcelain was hand painted, some with with imari patterns, in London at the Chelsea pemises and the output from this dual operation is Chelsea Derby. Ultimately, the Chelsea site was closed down and the name Derby continued in increasingly splendid isolation, to the point where continued Royal patronage afforded Duesbury license to append a crown to his trademark, Royal Crown Derby Porcelain was born. It’s worth noting that Duesbury also used representations of the marks used on Sevres, Dresden and Berlin-made porcelain, as he considered his own wares to be superior to every other source other than those three.

Height 28 cm

1575 g

Some fading to enamel and wear to git; restoration to right arm; crack that extends from the left foot to the underside of the base; small losses to leaves and petals; small losses to dog’s left ear; possible restoration to neck – very faint white line visible; fleabites to edge of dress on reverse; restoration to top of quiver; possible loss of one yellow bow on quiver.

This figurine appears to be part of a unique collection of porcelain Derby figurines, which has been meticulously gathered over many years

We must note that the 28cm of size is very rare, more common on the antique market are figurines of Diane 19.5 cm in size. This can be found in the Victoria and Albert museum.

Larger variants of this figure with the greyhound seated are illustrated in J. Twitchett, Derby Porcelain (1980), p.63, fig. 53 and P. Bradshaw, Derby Porcelain Figures 1750-1848 (1990) p.111

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.