Since it first opened in 1748, the Royal Crown Derby Factory has been based in Derby and still makes, decorates and gilds all of its wares. Artists today continue a tradition that has seen skills passed down from one generation to another.
William Duesbury bought a share in the factory in 1756 and assumed sole control in 1760. His aim was to make the best porcelain for the most aristocratic customers. To accomplish this, he set high standards and employed only the most talented artists of the day.
Landscapes and seascapes, still life and floral studies, folklore and mythology were all painted in exquisite detail by such artists as William Billingsley, Zachariah Boreman, the Brewer brothers, George Complin, George Robertson, and William Pegg the Quaker. Derby quickly gained an unsurpassed reputation for porcelain flower painting, with Billingsley, Pegg and later Moses Webster recognized as the greatest artists, especially for rose painting.
Billingsley developed new porcelain painting techniques; Instead of using the undecorated white porcelain glaze to highlight a flower, he painted the entire surface, removing small areas of color, then adding more paint for emphasis.
Another innovation was the use of topographical landscapes as a subject for Chinese painting. Pioneered by Boreman, his subjects were not country houses, but views of the wild Derbyshire dales. Many examples of this can be seen in the collection of the Royal Crown Derby museum, based at the factory.
Duesbury laid down principles that have stuck to the Derby ever since. Whether the factory is producing tableware, custom hand-painted designs such as plates, Derby dwarfs and peacocks, or paperweights, only the best is good enough.
An increasing number of collectors are realizing the scope of talent at Derby by commissioning bespoke designs. Recent commissions have included an impressive dinner service, with each plate painted with a different racehorse and a plate to present to the Royal Family.
Some of the most prominent designs are commissioned from Derby Dwarfs. These were first produced in 1770 and were supposedly inspired by a father and son walking through the Mansion House area of London with advertisements plastered on their brightly colored clothes. Although the standard inscriptions advertising a furniture auction and the Theater Royal in London’s Haymarket are still available, collectors can order personalized versions. Dwarfs have been commissioned for anniversaries, retirements and many other special events and the company has created unique designs to commemorate occasions such as Margaret Thatcher becoming the first woman to serve as Prime Minister.
Hand-painting skills are used for many of Derby’s limited-edition series, such as plates with floral designs inspired by Jane Austen’s favorite flowers and the Pemberley Vase, named after Mr. Darcy’s house on its novel, Pride and Prejudice.
Since the 18th century, Derby directors have striven to strike a balance between the artistry and the commercial pressures of running a pottery factory. The company’s designers, artists and sculptors are encouraged to develop new techniques by working with outside potters and ceramists. Recently, the design team has been working with Ken Eastman, an internationally renowned potter, and Royal Crown Derby has commissioned artist Angela Verdun to create a large decorative design, with a Derby theme, for a new arts center that will open its doors. in the center of Derby during 2008.
The Derby paperweights were launched in 1981 with five birds (a wren, an owl, a duck, a quail and a penguin) and a rabbit. Except for 1982 and 1984, new paperweight designs have been introduced each year and the collection continues to be very popular.
Current modellers and designers include John Ablitt, Mark Delf, Louise Adams, Tien Manh Dinh, Jane James, and Sue Rowe, and their work is well known. New names on board include Donald Brindley, Hilary Walker and Carmen Roome, and their fresh performances ensure the paperweight continues to evolve.
The Imari decoration style is an important part of paperweights. Imari designs are based on traditional Japanese porcelains decorated in underglaze blue with overglaze iron red and gilt, with patterns inspired by traditional brocades. These porcelains were originally exported to Europe through the port of Imari in Japan and are now known as Imari. The Derby factory created numerous tableware based on this oriental look starting in the 18th century, so that by the mid-19th century Imari and Derby were seen as one.
For the paperweights, the Imari design is interpreted to fit the animal portrayed; the motifs are adapted to represent feathers, fur, and other markings. Colors are chosen with care and recent technical advances have led to a wider palette, meaning a greater variety of animals can be added to the range.
New pieces are added to the collection every year and quite often they are limited editions which made them highly desirable. There is a Royal Crown Derby Collectors Guild whose members can enjoy giveaways and advance notice of new pieces coming out.
From time to time, Derby revisits a retired design and creates a new decoration for it. In 2008 it’s the Chaffinch, which was originally modeled by Robert Jefferson who created all the early pieces. The new decor is designed by Sue Rowe and should be a very popular piece.
2008 also sees the introduction of the popular pet series with the first two pets being the guinea pig and the hamster. Both pieces are modeled by John Abblit and he has created an intricate design, which has been inspired by South American motifs.
If you want to collect Royal Crown Derby China, there are many options. The paperweight collection alone numbers several hundred pieces and many are rare and hard to find. The Royal Crown Derby has been marked with a cipher to identify the year since 1880. Paperweights made in 2008 bear the Roman numerals MMVIII. In 1981 the cipher was XLIV (44). The system continued to increase sequentially by one each year until 1999, when the number was LXII (62). In 2000, the new system began using the numbers that matched the year, which made it much easier to calculate the year of production.