Royal Crown Derby | Neoclassical Swag & Medallion | Large Cake Plate & Two Trios | 1895
Coral garlands and gold lines on white, from Derby in 1895.
The present Royal Crown Derby company was formed in 1876 as the Derby Crown Porcelain Company, carrying on a Derby porcelain tradition that goes back to the mid-eighteenth century. In 1890 Queen Victoria appointed it Porcelain Manufacturers to Her Majesty, and it was allowed to add "Royal" to its name. Royal Crown Derby marks of this period carry a year cipher; on these pieces it reads 1895.
The cake plate is the large square form with canted corners, a broad scalloped rim and gilded Rococo scroll handles at either side. The transfer decoration covers the full border in orange-coral on white: a continuous Neoclassical composition of swag garlands suspended between ribbon-tied rosette medallions, with bell-flower festoons dropping from each medallion and acanthus scrolls filling the intervals. The border is enclosed by two fine orange line bands, with a gold line at the very edge of the rim. The two trios each comprise a cup, saucer and side plate. The cups are the rounded form with basketweave diaper moulding on the upper body and a scrolled gilt handle; the decoration runs as a garland band below the rim and a central medallion on the lower body. The saucers and side plates carry the full swag-and-medallion border, matching the cake plate. The side plates are the round scalloped form.
All seven pieces are in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks or crazing. The orange transfer is intact and unfaded, and the gilding to rim lines, handle edges and foot rims shows only minimal wear.
Key Details
Maker: Royal Crown Derby, England
Pattern: Neoclassical swag and medallion, orange/coral transfer (pattern name/number not recorded)
Shape: Large square cake plate with gilded scroll handles; rounded cup with basketweave moulding; scalloped saucer; round scalloped side plate
Backstamp: Royal Crown Derby with year cipher for 1895
Pieces: 7 — one large cake plate, two cups, two saucers, two side plates (two trios)
Material: Bone china
Decoration: Orange/coral transfer — swag garlands, ribbon-tied rosette medallions, bell-flower festoons, acanthus scrolls; gold rim lines throughout
Condition: Excellent — no chips, cracks or crazing; gilding with minimal wear
Collector Appeal
A cake plate and two trios dated by their 1895 year cipher, all seven pieces free of damage.
The factory's year cipher places the decoration in 1895, giving the seven pieces a date recorded in their own marks.
