William Duesbury & Co. (Early Derby) Vine Leaf Dish

Georgian

Circa 1760–1765 | England

An oval shaped early Derby dish of relief moulded soft-paste porcelain with an undulating brown rim edge made by William Duesbury in the mid-eighteenth century. The border is moulded in relief with vine leaves, stems and grapes, and the centre painted with fine delicate examples of enamelled bouquet of flowers, including pink roses (see The Gen) and scattered sprigs.

This extraordinarily rare plate is an exceptional example of old Derby porcelain produced by William Duesbury I (see The Gen) prior to his purchase of the Chelsea works in 1770. Indeed, this dish may be an example of the influence of Chelsea vine dishes (of which marked examples can be found), on Duesbury for he was known to copy Chelsea and Bow styles: “During the early years of the Derby factory Duesbury was content to more or less copy the models of Chelsea or Bow.” (Old Derby Porcelain and its Artist-Workmen, Frank Hurlbutt, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 2nd Impression, 1925, p. 28)

This dish is a wonderful example of early English porcelain.

DIMENSIONS: Length 21 cm, width 17 cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Unmarked. The plate is unmarked as was the manner in early Derby pieces during the period of 1756–1770.

“A word may also be said about earlier productions of Derby. As far as is known these, before the year 1769–1770, bore no distinguishing marks whatever. It was apparently owing to his then buying the Chelsea Factory and so the need to distinguish between the two factories’ productions that induced Duesbury to adopt the Crown and D mark. The Author believes that at least half the unmarked figures and vases, sauceboats, and other pieces attributed in these days to Chelsea, were actually made at Derby. If not, where are they? These wares were made in a great quantity between 1756 and 1770 by a factory so prosperous and successful that it absorbed Chelsea, Bow, Lambeth, and Giles’s business cannot have vanished in thin air, or even have been lost or broken.” (Old Derby Porcelain and its Artist-Workmen, Frank Hurlbutt, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 2nd Impression, 1925, pp 17 and 18)

CONDITION: The dish is in excellent condition with wear consistent with an antique age and use. There is a slight chip to the inner rim on the front and what perhaps is a manufacturing crack seen under light. There is some rubbing and loss to the enamelling, on the grapes and some leaves. There is no evident restoration.

REFERENCES: For an example of a similar dish see Victoria & Albert Museum, Accession Number 414:63-1885 and Ceramics of Derbyshire 1750–1975: An Illustrated Guide, H.G. Bradley, Gilbert Bradley, 1978, p. 74.

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THE GEN

“The pink rose has always been a favourite with flower painters, especially with the Derby flower painters… One principal flower, such as a rose or poppy always sprays out beyond the others in a very graceful manner. This latter idiosyncrasy was much copied by other painters at Derby, and became almost a ‘Derby manner’.” (Old Derby Porcelain and its Artist-Workmen, Frank Hurlbutt, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 2nd Impression, 1925, pp 63 and 65)

“William Duesbury I, owed nothing to patrons, Royal or otherwise; nothing to education or position. He was a workman pure and simple, the son of a working currier. As a boy he was apprenticed to his trade of china painting, and worked his way up, step by step, to be a small employer, then to be a manufacturer, finally to be the owner of the largest business of its kind in the whole kingdom.” (Old Derby Porcelain and its Artist-Workmen, Frank Hurlbutt, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 2nd Impression, 1925, p. xiii)

“With honesty and enterprise as a business man, fair dealing and kindness as an employer, affectionate and loved in his family life, Duesbury brought his Porcelain Factory to the highest point of artistic and commercial success, and died in October, 1786, at the age of sixty-one years, leaving the finest porcelain business in the country to his son, Wm. Duesbury II.” (Old Derby Porcelain and its Artist-Workmen, Frank Hurlbutt, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 2nd Impression, 1925, p. 9)

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