Royal Crown Derby Sheep

Founded in 1750 by Andrew Planche and William Duesbury in Derby, England, the Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company is one of the oldest original English manufacturers of fine bone china. Dating to the Georgian era, it has operated for more than 265 years. 

In 1761, the company, then called Derby Porcelain, created its first commemorative piece for the coronation of King George III. In 1775, King George III recognized the uniqueness and high quality of Derby Porcelain, giving the company the honor of using a crown on its back stamp. Queen Victoria gave further honors to the porcelain manufacturer in 1890, when she awarded the company a royal warrant and bestowed upon it the title of “The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company.” 

In the years following the first royal appointment, the company employed some of its finest artistic creators, such as watercolor landscape painter Zachariah Boreman; flower painters William Billingsley, William Pegg and Walter Withers; and figure painters Richard Askew and James Banford. The company produced the most sought-after collectible pieces in its history under the direction of William Duesbury II. He died at 34 and his full vision for the company went unrealized; it subsequently entered a period of decline.

In 1811, Robert Bloor revived the company by employing excellent painters and producing exquisite serving pieces that featured the Japanese Imari style of bold colors and lavish details. The popular design continues to be produced today. Modern pieces such as the paperweight collection also remain in demand more than 40 years after their introduction.

Under the creative control of different partners over time, the company has had three main locations. Its current base of operations is in Derby, where it continues to produce fine ceramics and decorative collectibles.

On 1stDibs, find a selection of Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company bowls and baskets, dinner plates, centerpieces and more.

Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.

Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.

George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.

Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.

Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.

Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

A hallmark of design in an entertainment space is the centerpiece. Its main function is to draw the eye to a specific place in the room and promote symmetry. In dining areas, antique, new or vintage centerpieces can bring the entire tablescape of fine fabrics and china together.

A sculptural Art Deco–inspired primrose yellow cake stand is an example of how a singular item can transform the table. The New York– and Los Angeles–based interior designer Alexandra Loew agrees, suggesting that one such 1930s-era Schneider Glass piece, for example, could add a cheerful jolt to any staid dining table. Julia Buckingham, ​​of the Chicago firm Buckingham Interiors + Design, defines her style as “modernique” and shares with 1stDibs a striking dining-room project for Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS: white multidimensional art for the walls, monochromatic fabric from Pierre Frey for the dining chairs and large vases that are inspired by antlers for centerpieces, which she created for Global Views..

Centerpieces can be functional to the environment or a conversation starter. Explore a wide variety of antique, new and vintage centerpieces on 1stDibs — there are options for any space in one’s home. And don’t forget, unique centerpiece options for your dining table can also include an antique soup tureen brightened with flowers, stemless drinkware and other glass with flower heads, decorative vases and vessels and more.