Spoon Tray

ca. 1765-1768 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The spoon tray is one from a small group of Derby porcelain wares that contain soaprock (steatite) and are decorated with transfer-prints in underglaze blue copied from those of the Worcester factory. Most of these transfer-prints were probably engraved by Richard Holdship, who signed an agreement to work for the Derby management in 1764. Holdship had previously been in charge of transfer-printing at the Worcester works and brought knowledge of Worcester's transfer-printing processes and soaprock formula to Derby.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain, transfer-printed in underglaze blue
Brief description
Spoon tray of soft-paste porcelain transfer-printed in underglaze blue, William Duesbury & Co., Derby, ca. 1765-1768
Physical description
Spoon tray, soft-paste porcelain transfer printed in underglaze blue. Hexagonal shape with fluted sides and flat base. Transfer printed in underglaze blue with the 'open zig-zag fence' pattern.
Dimensions
  • Length: 14cm
  • Width: 7.3cm
Credit line
Bequeathed by Arthur Hurst
Subject depicted
Summary
The spoon tray is one from a small group of Derby porcelain wares that contain soaprock (steatite) and are decorated with transfer-prints in underglaze blue copied from those of the Worcester factory. Most of these transfer-prints were probably engraved by Richard Holdship, who signed an agreement to work for the Derby management in 1764. Holdship had previously been in charge of transfer-printing at the Worcester works and brought knowledge of Worcester's transfer-printing processes and soaprock formula to Derby.
Bibliographic references
  • Bradley, H. G. Ceramics of Derbyshire 1750-1975. London : Gilbert Bradley, 1978. 110 p., pl.167.
  • Watney, Bernard. English blue and white porcelain of the eighteenth century, 2nd ed., London: Faber and Faber, 1973, pl. 67C, where identified as steatitic and dated 1765-68
Collection
Accession number
C.436-1940

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Record createdAugust 14, 2008
Record URL
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