1790s Dinner Plates

This is a very rare plate from the famous "Earl of Camden" service made by the Derby Porcelain Company in 1795. The service was painted with typical English roses by William Billingsley, one of Britain's most famous painters, and responsible for exactly this type of rose painting on British porcelain. There are more items available in this pattern, see separate listings. To keep these items together we'd be happy to offer a discount on multiple purchases - please ask! The Derby Porcelain Company, later called Royal Crown Derby, is currently the oldest British porcelain factory still in production. The Derby pottery was one of the most prominent potteries right from the start of English porcelain production in the mid 1700s to today, and the factory went through many iterations. In the 1820s, it was called "Bloor Derby" as it came under the ownership of Robert Bloor; this factory later closed but its legacy was continued under the ownership of a group of employees, and later this was merged into a new factory called Royal Crown Derby, which is still in operation today and still carries forward some of the oldest patterns that have made it famous over the centuries. William Billingsley was a brilliant but notoriously difficult man who left behind a trail of debts, broken hearts and mystery - but he was also one of the most important people in the history British porcelain. Billingsley revolutionised the way British decorators painted flowers; he added a freedom and artistry that now singles out British flower painting, and he created a new technique for painting roses, which you can see in this design. Billingsley worked at Derby, Worcester and Mansfield. He also set up his own potteries in Pinxton and Nantgarw and created some of the best porcelain ever made, but racking up great debts, before running off in the dead of night and ending his days at Coalport painting flowers. Items painted by William Billingsley are rare and very much in demand - together with Thomas Baxter's work they are probably among the most desired pieces of British porcelain. The Earl of Camden service was a huge service ordered by Lady Camden in 1795. It had to be produced under great, and unrealistic, time pressure and was notoriously late, much to Lady Camden's chagrin. She wanted the service to be produced by only the best artisans and therefore William Billingsley was tasked with painting all items - but it is thought that when it was clear the deadline was impossible to make, he enlisted the help of John Brewer for some of the last items, such as the ice pails. This plate shows the typical "Billingsley" roses: a beautiful naturally flowing garland of English roses interspersed with buds, trailing around a crisp gilt ribbon. The way the roses link into each other, the way each individual one is completely different, the light effects achieved by rubbing out some of the pink paint, and the very fine buds and foliage all point to these being from Billingsley's hand. The piece has a rich provenance; it bears labels from the Doris Wheatley Collection, the Daniel Collection, Derek Gardner...

This is an spectacular and very rare 27-piece dessert service made by Chamberlain's in Worcester around 1795. The service is decorated with the famous "Kylin" or "Dragons in Compartm...

This is a stunning dessert plate made by Chamberlains Worcester in about 1795. This is a plate of an original "Independence Service". The decoration is done in a "Japan" style with e...

This is a stunning dessert plate made by Chamberlains Worcester in about 1795. This is a plate of an original "Independence Service". The decoration is done in a "Japan" style with e...

Four antique Meissen plates in pierced porcelain with hand painted floral motifs and beaded border. Museum Quality. Dated 1773-1814. Measures: 23 cm. In very good condition. S...

Set of a dozen Wedgwood creamware soup bowls with monogram and crest dating from circa 1790. These bowls feature a wonderful border of geometric design, known as "Etruscan". It is ha...

A Worcester Porcelain Blind Earl dish made in the late 18th century. The Blind Earl pattern has raised rosebuds growing from a raised branch. Blind Earl porcelain...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has in their collection a pair of Doccia Ginori wine coolers in this same pattern* (see details below). This is a rare set of a dozen beautiful 18th century Italian Ginori Doccia porcelain...

A set of fine hand-painted 18th century French dishes. The border decorated with a linked chain of tiny leaves and rose buds around a central bouquet of ...

"Weighing Anchor", By George Robertson, Duesbury & Kean The shaped circular plate with undulating yellow rim has a painted maritime subject, nam...

"A Calm", By George Robertson, Duesbury & Kean Circa 1797-1800. The shaped circular plate with undulating yellow rim has a painted maritime sub...

An Imari inspired pattern showing a dragon flying through a flowering garden. Made by Turner, the inventor of ironstone*, the dishes are marked "Turners=Patent" in iron red. *Turne...