18th-Century Derby Porcelain Footed Strawberry Tureen and Cover

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Fanciful Fruit: English Derby Porcelain Strawberry Tureen and Cover

This is an exceptionally charming and highly decorative example of English … Read more Fanciful Fruit: English Derby Porcelain Strawberry Tureen and Cover

This is an exceptionally charming and highly decorative example of English soft-paste porcelain strawberry bowl and cover (or small tureen). Dating to the height of the Rococo period, circa 1760, this piece is a testament to the factory's skill in producing playful, trompe-l'oeil wares for the dessert table.

The form is defined by its exuberant sculptural detail. The bowl features a molded lattice (basketweave) pattern across its exterior, punctuated by small, painted dots. The handles are formed by beautifully twisted green ropes, terminating at the bowl with clusters of colorful, individually molded flower heads. The bowl is raised on intricately sculpted scroll feet with shell detailing at the base, and these feet are similarly adorned with molded flowers at the joins.

The domed cover continues the naturalistic theme, decorated profusely with clusters of brightly colored, molded strawberries and accompanying green leaves. The handle is cleverly formed by a sculpted tulip and its leaves, completing the illusion that the piece is a decorative harvest from the garden. The base features patch marks, a characteristic firing remnant associated with Derby.

The tureen measures 8 1/2 inches (21.6 cm) high x 9 1/4 inches (23.5 cm) wide x 6 3/4 inches (17.1 cm) deep.

Historical Context: The Rococo Dessert Table

This strawberry bowl belongs to a category of highly ornate, naturalistic porcelain wares made specifically for the elaborate dessert course in wealthy Georgian homes. This style, known as Rococo, favored asymmetry, whimsy, and the imitation of nature, which was achieved through intricate modeling and vibrant hand-painting. Factories such as Chelsea (where this form is strongly associated) and Derby competed fiercely to produce the most fanciful and beautiful services. Pieces like this were meant to mimic actual baskets of fruit, blurring the line between the edible and the ornamental and transforming the dessert table into a spectacular, theatrical landscape.
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References
• V&A Museum, London. Accession number C.225&A-1986, which holds a very similar example, supporting the attribution and dating to this highly decorative period of English soft-paste porcelain.
• Austin, John C. Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg. (For context on Chelsea and similar small tureens and fruit bowls of the 18th century).

(Ref: NY10963-nkkn) See less