Featured 18th Century Derby Cupid & Psyche Porcelain Figure (unknown figure)

I purchased this a while ago for the princely sum of £18, I was well prepared for much more of a fight but I was hugely surprised. It wasnt identified as Derby or as Cupid and Psyche but was identified as 18th Century. It has damage, the arm of Cupid is missing and his fingers are also damaged, the base also has some odd finger sized imprints as well as some firing cracks to the base.

The figure has the giveaway triad of patchmarks characteristic of 18th Century Derby Porcelain production. I have found multiple references and examples of this figure which I will link below which if you need further info on the figure should help.

BUT! : I cannot find anything on this figure from the Derby factory. The figure number on the base is 210, there is also a number 17 next to it. I have cross referenced with my books on Derby Porcelain and have found that the records on Derby have a gap when it comes to 210. I contacted the Derby Collectors Guild and the response was that it is most likely a missing derby piece, brilliant for my small selective Derby collection



This link to a Sevres example from the V&A references the original figure this example is based on. Here is the link and the quote :
“date uncertain; Copied from an original marble group in the Museo Capitolino, Rome, Roman work of the 2nd C AD, after an earlier lost Greek original, discovered in 1749; the group was in Paris from 1797 to 1816. See H. Stuart Jones, Catalogue of Ancient Sculpture in Municipal Collection of Rome -- Museo Capitolino, 1912, pl. 12, p. 185, no. 3. The antique original has no wings”
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O99045/cupid-and-psyche-figure-group-sevres-porcelain-factory/

An ivory statuette located also in the V&A :
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O89653/cupid-and-psyche-statuette-di-campertogno-marchino/

A very interesting history of Cupid & Psyche’s representation in pottery/clay :
http://janestreetclayworks.com/2013/02/12/cupid-and-psyche-in-clay-2/

1st Century AD Roman example. Sold for under $500,000 . I wish...
https://www.christies.com/features/...y-lots-from-the-Christies-archive-8075-1.aspx

19th Century Meissen example sold for £300
https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/Lot/?sale=PG080311&lot=153&id=192099

 

Very nice... too bad about the damage but it makes a very good object for learning.

 

In the book Derby Porcelain by Twitchett the number 210 was assigned to a figure of Triton.

What is the height of your figurine?

 

I envy you a Derby collection.

 

The figure is 22cm tall. I looked up the number a while ago in another book I have. I’ll have to check them when I’m back at my family home. Very odd.

 

Very nice piece.

 

I also have the Twitchett book and there are two lists from different sources. As JB said, one list has 210 as a figure of Triton 3" high. The other list doesn't have a description for 210. I did a cursory look through both lists and didn't see anything obvious as a name for yours shown. (I haven't read the entire book)

In John Bedford's book on Chelsea & Derby China (Collector's Pieces) he mentions that the patch mark is sometimes, though rarely, seen on wares from other factories. He also mentions that some early figure were cold painted with little or none remaining.

There are no figures like yours illustrated in either book.

 

I think I used Peter Bradshaw’s book on Derby Porcelain. I remembered it as being a unknown spot in the records that are in there. I’ll make sure to take a better look next time I’m home from university.

Yeh it’d make sense for it too be a piece by another factory, I struggled to find anything similar. Odd that there aren’t too many of this version of the Roman original recreated. There is a version where the hairstyle and the body fat is altered but the composition is the same. I can only find three or four that copy this exactly.

Wish I could find out exactly who it’s by, Derby was my best shot but given the number maybe not now