Derby Porcelain Dish by Boreman c1795

The condition of the dish is superb. with no chips, cracks, paint loss or restoration. Even the foot rim is without the usual nicks. There are some areas on the reverse of the piece that have some slight darkening or roughness where the glaze did not flow completely evenly, all of them totally without import. The gilding, which displays the rich and fulsome nature that Derby was famous for in this period, is virtually 100% intact, with no losses or skips. Any apparent losses to the painting or gilding is due to light reflection in the photos. This superb example is 9 5/8" across and 8" at its widest part.

Note 1: Solfatara is a shallow volcanic crater at Pozzuoli, near Naples. It is a dormant volcano, which still emits jets of steam with sulfurous fumes. The crater floor is a popular tourist attraction, as it has many fumaroles and mud pools. The vapors have been used for medical purposes since Roman times.

Note 2: Zachariah Boreman was an accomplished landscape and marine subject painter, who was born in Aldersgate, London. He was initially apprenticed to the Chelsea factory and worked under Nicholas Sprimont from 1755 to 1783.He eventually signed an agreement with William Duesbury. He painted subjects from nature and often included a winding river in his compositions. He eventually became one of the finest ever landscape artists, and even taught William Billingsley the art of ceramics painting and encouraged and experimented with him; firing new ceramic body types in the basement of Billingsley’s house.