Derby Porcelain Figure of Neptune and Sweatmeat Stand
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Lot Description
Derby Porcelain Figure of Neptune and Sweat Meat Stand. Marks for 1765 Neptune modeled riding a dolphin, the sweetmeat stand modeled as six flower-painted scallop shell supported by a seaweed and shell-encrusted base 9 ½ in. (24 cm.) high, the figure.
Estimate: $3,000 to $5,000
Price realised with premium:$2,000
Sale date:07/01/2015
Condition
Presents well. with the expected small chips to the applied shell decoration. Neptune with his raised arm broken and restuck, a hairline crack to the underside of the base. The sweetmeat stand with a few chips and touched up chips to the edges of the shell-form dishes, one section with a further large section restuck.
Provenance
The collection of Richard Mellon Scaife
Description
In the Rococco style soft-paste porcelain figure of Neptune with a dolphin on a mound of shells, painted in enamels, and gilt
Soft-paste porcelain figure of Neptune, slip-cast, ead-glazed and painted in turquoise, green, flesh, dark pink, puce, purple, red, pale and dark brown, grey, and black enamels, and gilt. The slightly concave underside is glazed, and has a large central ventilation hole, and three large patch marks. The circular, high mound-shaped base is decorated all over the sides with applied seaweed, and seashells of different kinds in naturalistic colours. On the top there is a large white ribbed shell picked out in gold on which is a large dolphin from whose mouth a stream of water flows down to the edge of the base. In front of a dolphin Neptune stands on his left leg with his right extended behind him. His head is turned to his left, and he looks downwards. His left arm is raised to hold a iron trident with traces of gilding (see notes), and his right arm is held across his body. With his right hand he holds up a drape which billows out behind him. He has long brown hair, and a beard, and wears a white, gold, and red crown on his head. His drape has a purple ground, and reserves edged in red and gold, containing gold foliage and flowers, and is lined in pink.. The dolphin has large black eyes, encircled in turquoise, red fins, a pink tail, and a mainly green body with black scales. A pair with EC.16B-1938
Production Notes
A biscuit model for the figure is among the Derby models and moulds acquired by the Copeland factory in the nineteenth century (Spode Museum, Stoke-on-Trent). The earlier edition of this figure was supported on a low base instead of this elaborate mound of shells and seaweed. The two versions are respectively B. 26 and E.61 in Bradshaw’s list of Derby figures. . The late Bernard Watney considered by the first version might have been modelled by Andrew Planché, see Documentation, 1980.
The model was probably derived from a Neptune on a Dolphin in a grotto design by Francesco Fanelli, reproduced in in 'Varie Architeture di Francesco Fanelli fiorentino. Scultore del Re della Gran Bretagna', see Documentation Wengraf, 2004
J.V.G. Mallet, wondered whether this originally dry-edge model could have been modelled by Agostino Carlini (c.1718-90) who was working in London from about 1752-3 having been living in the Netherlands from 1749-51.
