Lot 161 , An extremely rare Girl-on-a-Horse or Compass Marked group of a young man, c. 1755, h. 15.5cm, slight restoration

An extremely rare Girl-on-a-Horse or Compass Marked group of a young man, c. 1755, the figure seated on a tree stump with a dog to his left, wearing a flower painted jacket and breeches, the rococo scrollwork base picked out in puce, painter's mark '12' in iron red to base, h. 15.5cm, slight restoration
Estimate £600-800


Provenance:
The Dennis G. Rice Collection of fine early Derby Porcelain (1750-1770)

As well as being an avid collector of early Derby porcelain, Dr. Dennis G. Rice was an academic and wrote one of the key reference works on the subject - 'Derby Porcelain, The Golden Years 1750-1770' published in 1983. A number of the pieces illustrated in the book will be offered for sale.

Literature: cf. D.G. Rice, Derby Porcelain, colour plate B, Barrett & Thorpe, Derby Porcelain, pl. 26 and Lane, English Porcelain Figures of the 18th century, pl. 62a.

In his book Rice writes 'There exists a small group of figures attributable on stylistic and other grounds to a date around 1755. Their distinctive characteristics are that they are are light in weight, have a paste that is dirty and speckled, and a rough unglazed dirty surface under a base which is scrolled and rococo in form. Some of the models have a mark consisting of a circle containing a triangle but the more observant as a letter Y. All the examples so far recorded are modelled with a remarkable flair in a style not seen elsewhere in English porcelain.
...none of the models is to be found either as a a dry-edge or Duesbury figure. This complete isolation from what went before and what came after is indeed remarkable if a Derby attribution is correct. An alternative theory is that the 'Girl-on-a-horse' factory figures originated at Crisp's porcelain factory in Vauxhall.
The Vauxhall factory was run by Nicholas Crisp (about 1704-1774). He was a member of the Society of Arts, which was established in 1754 to encourage British industries faced with foreign competition. Crisp was representative of the commercially-minded entrepreneurs who founded the English porcelain industry.

ex Winifred Williams, Nov. 1979 for £800.
There is restoration to his right hand, the bottom corners of his coat and the dog's tail. Over-glazed crack to his left shin. Areas of fritting to the glaze.
The restoration to his right hand is from the wrist downwards although the bubble to the glaze can be seen between his fingers, please note additional to the original condition report the very tips of his two middle fingers on his left hand has chipped off, the restoration to his left lower corner of his coat it starts from just below his left wrist and is level with the painting of some orange flowers going to the right, the restoration to the right corner of his coat is a triangular section starting at the middle of the yellow flower spray going down across to the first fold or crease at the back of his coat, the restoration to the dogs tail starts on its hind quarters and the whole tail has been restored and there is possible some minute losses to the encrusted flowers and leaves.


Descriptions provided in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Interested bidders are strongly encouraged to request a condition report on any lots upon which they intend to bid, prior to placing a bid. All transactions are governed by Gorringes Conditions of Sale.

Sold for £7,000