Rare Derby Porcelain Flower Moulded Twin Handled Basket / Bowl c.1760

An unusual early Derby porcelain deep circular basket with the exterior walls moulded with a diaper type wicker work pattern with small turquoise and yellow florettes at the intersections. Twin double loop rope twist handles with moulded flowers and leaves to the inner terminals and on the edge of the rim, picked out in puce, olive and green enamel. The lower part of the walls and foot with a basket-weave pattern with a lemon yellow wash to the foot, red/brown edge to the rim and inside the base has painted a spray of pink and red roses. Unmarked, c.1760-1765.

An unusual shape, seeming a merging of features from two main different Derby basket types, a slightly more traditional basket with the same moulded wall decoration, handles and colour scheme, but with an everted rim, and the bowl shaped chestnut baskets that are handle-less but with covers. Reference: Derby Porcelain - The Golden Years, Rice, plates 114, 115, 118 and 122. 

Provenance: Selina Elwell Collection.

It measures 8.5cm (3 3/8") high to the handles (7cm (2 3/4") to the rim) and 13cm (5 1/8") wide.

In excellent condition with no damage, repair or restoration. There are a couple of small losses from the edges of some of the florettes but they are all underglaze. A couple of minor enamel losses here and there but many of those apparent in the photographs are actually just a patchy original application.