Derby Porcelain Manufactory

The Derby Porcelain Manufactory was one of England's earliest and most important porcelain producers, with production dating from the mid-1740s. André Planché, a Huguenot immigrant from Saxony, began making soft-paste porcelain figures in Derby around 1747. William Duesbury formalized the business in 1756, and under his leadership the factory proclaimed itself "the second Dresden."

Derby's golden era produced some of the finest porcelain figurines in English ceramic history. Planché's early figures are especially prized for their unique sense of motion, with characters seeming to swirl and lift off their bases. Duesbury aggressively expanded by purchasing failing competitors, including the Chelsea factory in 1770. In 1890, Queen Victoria granted a Royal Warrant, and the company became Royal Crown Derby. Our collection includes 4 works at the Art Institute of Chicago.