Derby figure of a lady Gardener, fine quality, c. 1775

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Fine quality Derby figure of a lady ‘Gardener’s Companion’, dressed in a yellow hat with flowers collected in her plain apron, leaning on a red watering can sitting on top of a flowing fountainhead with grotesque face spout, on a low grassy mound base.

Incised mark ‘No. 7’ for model number, also ‘2’ , and ‘S_ _ _ ‘ (second-size figure)  ‘Y’ and ‘N’,

Circa 1775

14.5cm high

Excellent condition

ref. Bradshaw p171 for the pair, the companion being a male gardener. He notes the similarity with the man and a figure from the list – no. 3, the ‘Earth’ in the ‘Four Elements’ attributed to Tournai-trained sculptor Pierre Stephan; it’s probable that this lovely lady figure is also a Stephan model, in the best Continental taste.

The mark corresponds to an example from a figure of ‘Water’ from no. 3, the Four Elements, illustrated p146; this is a clearer view of the word inscribed on the base of this figure, revealing it to be ‘Second’, and meaning this was the 2nd size of figures made at the Derby factory.

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