A Derby Porcelain Plate c.1790 decorated by Billingsley in pattern 129

A very fine Derby porcelain plate c.1790. Decorated by William Billingsley in pattern 129, the body of the porcelain moulded with undulating lobed borders, richly decorated with a salmon ground border reserved with panels of full-blown pink roses, edged with alternating white enamel 'jewels' and gilt stars, the centre with three overlapping pink rose sprays, edged with a pink ground and white enamelled band and gilt lines. Crown, crossed batons and D marks, pattern no 129 all in puce, decorator's numeral 3 on both footrim.

A lozenge-shaped dessert dish of the same pattern, ascribed to William Billingsley, is illustrated by John Twitchett, Derby Porcelain, page 50. See also a watercolour by Billingsley of running roses, illustrated colour plate 15, page 51.

Condition: A hairline crack starts at the rim of the plate and runs 11 cm around the inner edge of the well. Some wear to the gilding mainly around the central bands. Some light scratches to the central rose.