The Porcelain Sale

In 1791, William Duesbury II, the owner of Derby, introduced floral decoration in his porcelains. Inspired by William Curtis’ monthly periodical called The Botanical Magazine, Duesbury began incorporating detailed flowers in the company’s designs. In the late 1790s, the factory acquired flower books by John Edwards that contained 79 printed and hand-colored etchings. These books became the inspiration for Derby, which became the only porcelain factory to use Edwards’ flowers. The upcoming Porcelain Sale, offered by Stair, particularly highlights a Derby 58-piece botanical dessert service with Edwards’ flowers.

The auction also features four trays by Piero Fornasetti featuring tromp l’oeil coins, classical motifs, and printed images. Fornasetti was a Milanese Renaissance man whose career included more than 11,000 works. Many of them featured the face of the opera singer Lina Cavalieri. Fornasetti’s designs were fanciful, sophisticated, and sometimes humorous. He once said, “I also consider myself the inventor of the tray, because at a certain point in our civilization people no longer knew how to hand over a glass, a message, or a poem.” For more information on these lots and to register to bid, visit Bidsquare.