Fancy Items

A selection of fancy items showing a small part of the range which was produced during the period. The use of gift boxes was widely extended during this time under the direction of Phillip Robinson.  Previously their use was largely limited to presentation tea and coffee sets. By offering a much wider range of boxed goods it was possible to add value at relatively little cost and also reduce breakages in transit.  It has also meant that items have survived in rather better condition than they might have otherwise.

I have prepared this list using a catalogue entitled "Outline Sketches of Shapes" dated May 1955 which is reproduced  in full on the Shapes, Catalogues and Brochures Page.  I have tried to show as comprehensive range of shapes as possible but there are 1987 shapes alone listed and described (but unfortunately in the main not illustrated) by John Twitchett and Betty Bailey in their 1976 edition of Royal Crown Derby.  There are no additional shapes listed in the 1988 revised edition.

The following items were sold as boxed fancies, either singly or as sets.

Sweet shape No. 1800 Oblong - 4 sizes. Sold boxed singly or in pairs with matching oblong boxes as a smokers set. 

Also sold boxed as a butter and jam set in pairs with a butter knife and jam spoon. Here shown with gadroon shape trays.

Sweet shape No. 1801 Rounded - 1 size.

Sweet shape no. 1802 Oval - 4 sizes.

Sweet shape No. 1803 Square - 4 sizes.

Sweet Dish Fan shape No. 407

Sweet dish shape No. 913 ("Rouen") - Oblong.

Sweet Dish shape No. 986 (shallow).  The first tray above has a celadon ground.

Gadroon Shape Oblong Trays

Oval, Round and Square Rouen Trays. Shape numbers 761, 762 and 763. Six sizes.

Bedford Shape Sweets - 4 sizes. Sold boxed singly or together with an open jam.

Alton Shape (3 Sizes). Sold singly or in a boxed posie jam set with a jam spoon. Also sold as a boxed set of two trays or with a covered dish (see above). Shape number 1431.

Cairns Shape No. 1877

Silver (Sweets) Shape Number 1273 - 4 sizes.

Duchess Sweet shape No. 1950 - 7 Sizes from 4" dia. to 10"

Tazza 1933 Shape

Cake Basket No. 1685 Oval  3 sizes.

Cake Basket No. 1685 Square 3 sizes.  The first image showing pattern 8731 is from the collection of Mrs Irene Mary Cox.

Gadroon Trays sold in separate round boxes or grouped as a set of four.   The club version appears to double up as a cruet tray. Sold boxed singly, in pairs, or in a set of four.

(Cigarette) Box 1920 Shape. These were sold singly or as a smokers set in a box with two 1800 oblong trays.

Gadroon Box. Shape 1943. Sold boxed as a smokers set with two oblong gadroon trays.

Condiments 1205

Surrey Butter

Surrey Egg Cup

Bedford Jam

Jam 1923 s.s. and Jam 1927 l.s.

Chelsea Marmalade and Stand

Christening Mug shape 1689

Swansea Sugar (Shape 1104) and Cream (Shape 1062) 42's, 48's, 54's. Apparently made in 9 sizes.  (John Twitchett and Betty Bailey)

Chelsea Sugar and Cream 54's.

Caddie, shape 931, here in the Posie pattern.

Petal Tudor Rose Tray

Gadroon shape crescent butter dish and knife sets.  The first set shown above in the Posie pattern was sold through Harrods, and the box is specially marked. Also shown are trays in patterns Wentworth, Claremont, Woodland Violets, Pink Aves and Ellis Spray. Also found in other patterns including A962 Gadroon Rose.

1974 Shape Flowered Rockingham

1972 Shape Flowered Oblong Tray.

Hand flowered round and heart shaped gadroon boxes in shapes 1009 & 1010

Chinese Birds Gadroon Trays. Shape 1959

Pershore Tray. Shape 1963

The following items are shown in the unboxed section, but I suspect that the tankards and Pershore and Chinese Birds Boxes would have been available with a presentation box.

Triple and Double Hors d'Oeuvre Dishes.

Goblet 1942 Shape

Covered Butter 1947 Shape

Sandwich Tray Mikado Pattern. Shape 1885. Sold as a set together with six square plates.

Basket Royal shape in posie.

Comport 1919 (Unfinished) Gadroon Version and Vine Version in pattern A972 signed J Price. Also produced in a Plain shape.

Card Tray shape 1375 - 3 sizes.

Box 1754 Shape (2 Sizes). Also seen in Red Aves. The second example with back stamp for 1946 has been modified with the addition of a game bird - perhaps a "Bob White" Quail?  to the lid.  I have also seen a pheasant version.

Caddie 1796 Shape.

Comb Tray.

Ink 1807. It is missing its lid and ink well insert.

Box 1781

Tray 1926

Tankards - "New" and 1928 Shapes. The last two images show a tankard with views of Clovelly. The scenes are almost identical to those on postcards published by Raphael Tuck.

Chinese Birds Boxes.

Tray 1927 in the Green Aves pattern, A74

Rouen Candlesticks Shape 784  - White and Gold and with Celadon and Golden Fawn Grounds. These were also made with applied flowers and a pair is shown above.

Old Chelsea Sweet Tray (5 sizes)

Soup Tureen in the Talbot Shape.  The stand is missing. The Sauce Tureen here is in the Ely shape and is much smaller.

The following items are not included in the 1955 shapes catalogue.

Miniatures

Retailers' Plaques

Two round wall plaques with Ellis Sprays, a third signed by Barlow and an oval plaque signed by Dean with a view of Dovedale. The round Dean plaque and the last two with hunting scenes lack the embossing around the edge and appear to have been designed to be mounted in a frame or perhaps they are coasters.

"Marcel Franck" Atomisers in the 1128, Pinxton Roses and Woodland Violets patterns.

Two Vine pattern white and gold taper holders an oval dish and two covered boxes, the last having a celadon ground..

Vine Cake Plate with salmon ground and oval dish with a Duesbury green ground

Square shape bowl, part of a fruit set - Shape 1886, described as "square, bowl and six saucer dishes". (John Twitchett and Betty Bailey)

Covered Box in the Rouen Shape.

A collection of table lighters, here in the 1128 and A1120 Pinxton Roses patterns. Also seen in Aves, Gold Aves, Posie and Bali patterns. Shape 1987 is described as "Lighter base Colibri"  (John Twitchett and Betty Bailey)

Lamp bases in the Chinese Birds, Melody, Antoinette and Fluted patterns.

Plain white menu stand. Possibly shape 1887, described as "Slab, either oblong or upright, with 968 large support at back 8in. x 6in."  (John Twitchett and Betty Bailey)

A selection of serviette/napkin rings. The patterns from left to right are as follows:  Ellis spray, Vine Duesbury Green, Vine White and Gold, Pinxton Roses and Woodland Violets.

Assorted vases. A228, A1184 and A1120 are in shape number 1774.

Fern pot of hexagonal shape and embossed. This example is in the smaller size. Shape number 1063.  I have included it as the mark has the date cipher for 1937. An early example of the posie spray which presumably is listed in pattern book 11 or 12, but the information is not included in "Royal Crown Derby" by John Twitchett and Betty Bailey and perhaps has been lost.

Footed Egg Cup in Olde Avesbury A73

Boxed Cruet Set in Eliis Spray pattern.

Round ribbed pin trays, the shape number unknown. These mostly appear with pink and celadon grounds, the last five having "Derby Star" Pinxton Roses and "Wentworth" centres.

Surrey shape cup painted and signed by Dean with factory mark for 1939-45. Possibly acquired as an undecorated piece and then decorated by Dean as a special commission. I have certainly not seen another like it. This forms part of the Graham Garside collection, and the images are courtesy of Graham Garside.

Unusual basket with Ellis spray.  Red (BONE CHINA) factory mark used 1956-65.

Rouen Shape Bowl with untitled scene signed by Dean

Posie Tray - perhaps a comb tray - with embossed decorations'

Triangular covered box in the posie pattern.

Three plates from the "Ivor" series. The first two are taken from illustrations by Ernest Haslehust from the travel guide, "The Peak District" by R. Murray Gilchrist. Other plates in the series include Bakewell View.  Perhaps "Ivor" is a reference to Phillip Robinson's middle name.

Lion's Head Rock signed by Reuben Hague. I have also seen a similar plate by Hague entitled Haddon Hall.

Gadroon shape plate with green ground to rim and unsigned view of Llangollen Weir. Date cipher for 1944. I have included a postcard image taken from an “Art Colour” postcard (posted in 1956) which is a reproduction of an original water colour by Edward H Thompson, and which bears a striking resemblance. In reality many of the views seem to have been copied from postcards or taken from guide books, in particular those illustrated by Ernest Haslehust.

Gadroon shape plate with green ground to rim and unsigned “Blue-winged Teal” centre. Date cipher for 1954. The edge is ungilt, and I thought initially that this might be a second, but a pair of similar plates appear in Royal Crown Derby China by F Brayshaw Gilhespy and Dorothy M Budd (Fig. 11)

Ruffed Grouse, one of a series of game bird plates produced from paintings by Donald Birbeck dated 1940. Also in the series are Blue Winged Teal, Pintail Ducks, Prairie Hens, Mallard, Snipe, Wild Turkey, Bob White, Red Grouse, Ptamigan, Summer Ducks and Canvas Back Ducks. Seen with celadon, pink and golden fawn grounds.    

Two of a series of different ground colour plates produced produced from paintings by Donald Birbeck and dated 1940. Both are entitled Lake Bream.  Also in the series are Pike (immature), Perch, Rainbow Trout, Samlets, Grayling, Black Basse, Roach, Salmon, Chub, Brown Trout, Lake Bass and Brook Trout.   

The shape of the plate with its embossed border is unknown.  The image also appears on the "Flying Machine" tankard above.

Another plate with embossed border, similar to the one above but lacking the flower heads on the rim. Posie centre.

Unusual Jardiniere in the Rouen shape with Ellis sprays and blue enamel details.

Tray with nautical scene by Dean.  Date cipher for 1938

Brooch signed by Mosley.

An assortment of fluted ware.  I have seen these in harlequin sets.