Figure of the Day: A West Pans Romantic Group, 1764-1770

Figural Group and Candle Holder
West Pans Factory
Scotland, 1764-1770
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A work of soft-paste porcelain, oil gilded, this figural group is the work of the West Pans Factory in Scotland.  It was made between 1764 and 1770.

The group depicts a pair of young lovers, under a wreathed, semi-circular arbor surrounded by blooming trees and roses.  The stems twist to form a handle and, at the top, is a convenient taper holder.  

Beautiful and functional, it's a perfect representation of the handsome work of Scottish porcelain factories of the middle-late Eighteenth Century.

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Figure of the Day: The Young Peddlar, 1760

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figure in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilding depicts a young, male Jewish peddlar. A basket of bottles is slung from his shoulders and he wears a fur-lined turquoise-green jacket, striped trousers, black shoes and a fur-lined red cap.


Made in 1760, this figure is the perfect example of the kind of porcelain ornaments produced in Derby in the Eighteenth Century. From the fine modeling of the figure to the applied flowers on the base, it’s the quintessential representation of the skill of the Derby Porcelain Factory.

The subject is clearly identified as a young Jewish man by his fur-lined cap and jacket—traditional garb for English Jews in the Eighteenth Century.

The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

Figure of the Day: Three Graces Distressing Cupid, c. 1785

Three Graces Distressing Cupid
William Duesbury & Co.
Derby, England
1785
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A figure group of soft-paste porcelain on an irregular base of modeled flowers and leaves, this is the work of Derby’s William Duesbury & Co and dates to about 1785.

The subject is “Three Graces Distressing Cupid.” Poor Cupid is tied to a tree by his waist. One of the Graces is mocking him by breaking his bow over her knee. Another is pinching him. And, the third is pelting him with flowers. None of that seems very graceful.

The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

Mastery of Design: The Owl and Monkey Bonbonniere/Patch-box, c. 1749

The British Museum

Perhaps this was a patch-box (a container meant to held the black paper "beauty marks" which ladies and fops alike glued to their faces to cover blemishes and...syphilis) or perhaps it was made as a bonbonniére (a candy container).   In any event, this lovely work of soft-paste porcelain is molded in the form of an owl's head with yellow and brown enamel for the feathers, and pink, gray and orange for the beak.  The black enamel eyes are set with diamonds.  

Meanwhile, the rim is painted with green leaves and the interior of the box is painted with two pink flower sprays, a leaf and two cherries.  The interior of the cover is mounted in gold and tortoise-shell and the reverse us set with a gold plaque chased with a relief scene of a plum-eating monkey in a landscape.

This was produced at the "Girl-in-a-Swing Factory" between 1749 and 1754.  It was donated to The British Museum by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks.

The British Museum

The Home Beautiful: A Porcelain Pen Stand, 1820

Pen Stand
Derby, England
The VIctoria & Albert Museum

Made to grace a handsome desk, this pen tray is crafted of soft-paste porcelain which has been painted with enamels and gilded. In traditional fashion, the tray takes the form of a trough which sits on four gilt paws. The inside of the trough is adorned with a scene of a landscape with mountains, a cottage, and a waterfall. Gilt swans on pedestals issue foliage and hyacinth blooms. The stand’s exterior is punctuates with a scalloped border of turquoise enamel which is painted with lamps and floral sprays.

The work of the Derby Porcelain Factory, and dating to about 1820, the pen stand’s enamels are the work of Daniel Lucas, Sr. (1788-1867).

The Home Beautiful: A Porcelain Pen Stand, 1820

Pen Stand
Derby, England
The VIctoria & Albert Museum

Made to grace a handsome desk, this pen tray is crafted of soft-paste porcelain which has been painted with enamels and gilded. In traditional fashion, the tray takes the form of a trough which sits on four gilt paws. The inside of the trough is adorned with a scene of a landscape with mountains, a cottage, and a waterfall. Gilt swans on pedestals issue foliage and hyacinth blooms. The stand’s exterior is punctuates with a scalloped border of turquoise enamel which is painted with lamps and floral sprays.

The work of the Derby Porcelain Factory, and dating to about 1820, the pen stand’s enamels are the work of Daniel Lucas, Sr. (1788-1867).

Figure of the Day: The Young Peddlar, 1760

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figure in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilding depicts a young, male Jewish peddlar. A basket of bottles is slung from his shoulders and he wears a fur-lined turquoise-green jacket, striped trousers, black shoes and a fur-lined red cap.


Made in 1760, this figure is the perfect example of the kind of porcelain ornaments produced in Derby in the Eighteenth Century. From the fine modeling of the figure to the applied flowers on the base, it’s the quintessential representation of the skill of the Derby Porcelain Factory.

The subject is clearly identified as a young Jewish man by his fur-lined cap and jacket—traditional garb for English Jews in the Eighteenth Century.

The Home Beautiful: Vase cannelé or vase à corset, 1755-1757

Pair of Vases
French, c. 1755
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Sèvres Porcelain Factory created these playful vases between 1755 and 1757. The vessels are made of soft-paste porcelain, blue lapis enamel on a white ground and gilded adornment with ormolu.

These fanciful corset-shaped designs are typical of production at Vincennes in the early years and stylistically match the work Jean-Claude Duplessis--one of the most influential artistic directors at Vincennes and Sèvres between 1745 and 1774. Vases in this style quickly went out of fashion, however, as the more staid and severe neoclassical style became the dominant look. 

The Home Beautiful: Sèvres Sauçières, 1780

Sauce Boat
French
Soft-paste Porcelain and Enamels, 1780
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dating to about 1780, this sauce boat, is the work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. The piece is crafted of soft-paste porcelain, and features a deep green enamel ground with gilded decoration.

The sauce boat of oval shape terminates in a spout at each end. Raised foliage and berries adorn oval and kidney-shaped recesses which are decorated with polychrome butterflies and birds—some with worms.

The boat was purchased by George IV from the auctioneer Harry Phillips for £5 5s 6d 20th in March of 1805. It’s part of a set which includes a matching dessert service.

Figure of the Day: Three Graces Distressing Cupid, c. 1785

Three Graces Distressing Cupid
William Duesbury & Co.
Derby, England
1785
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A figure group of soft-paste porcelain on an irregular base of modeled flowers and leaves, this is the work of Derby’s William Duesbury & Co and dates to about 1785.

The subject is “Three Graces Distressing Cupid.” Poor Cupid is tied to a tree by his waist. One of the Graces is mocking him by breaking his bow over her knee. Another is pinching him. And, the third is pelting him with flowers. None of that seems very graceful.