{"product_id":"rare-derby-biscuit-porcelain-group-air-four-elements-no-48-c-1773","title":"Rare Derby Biscuit Porcelain Group Air, Four Elements No. 48, c.1773","description":"Derby biscuit porcelain group representing Air from the celebrated Four Elements series, issued in 1773 under model number No. 48. The composition depicts two winged putti beside a tree, one descending from a nest while his companion waits below beside a birdcage.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nRecorded in the Derby Sale Catalogue of 9-10 February 1773 and illustrated by Peter Bradshaw (pp. 203-205), the model ranks among the most sought-after figure groups of Derby's eighteenth-century production.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe allegory of Air is expressed through a birdcage, nesting birds, winged putti and additional birds throughout the composition. The large tree displays a remarkable mass of individually moulded leaves, each carefully modelled with minute detail. The narrative suggests that the young putto has climbed the tree in search of eggs for his companion, only to discover that the chicks have already hatched.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe complexity of manufacture was extraordinary. The tree, birdcage, birds, nest, foliage and wings were moulded separately and assembled entirely by hand before firing, a process known in Derby workshops as repairing. The construction of a single group could require several days of skilled labour before it entered the kiln.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nModel No. 48 remained in production for approximately twenty-two years before being discontinued in 1795. According to research based on Derby factory records published by John Haslam, the total output of the original biscuit No. 48 Air group may not have exceeded approximately three hundred examples. The exceptional labour involved effectively restricted ownership to prosperous eighteenth-century collectors, and these elaborate biscuit allegories were intended for the houses and collections of wealthy patrons.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nParticularly noteworthy is the survival of the delicate birdcage with the bird still seated inside, together with the nest and birds at the top of the tree. Only a handful of No. 48 Air groups are believed to have survived without major losses to the delicate oak leaves and cage elements, making this an exceptionally rare survivor from the golden age of Derby porcelain.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nDimensions:\u003cbr\u003e\nHeight 22 cm\u003cbr\u003e\nWidth 9.5 cm\u003cbr\u003e\nDepth 8.5 cm\u003cbr\u003e\nWeight 503 g\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nCondition:\u003cbr\u003e\nOne wing of the boy is chipped. There are small chips to the leaves, and in the small nest at the top of the tree one of the three chicks has lost its head. Several very minor firing cracks from manufacture, barely visible; otherwise in good condition.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nPlease study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance.\u003cbr\u003e\n","brand":"Gillers Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62882664907082,"sku":"B1791","price":950.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1066\/5351\/6106\/files\/il_fullxfull.8241848301_n61m.jpg?v=1785899863","url":"https:\/\/gillersantiques.com\/products\/rare-derby-biscuit-porcelain-group-air-four-elements-no-48-c-1773","provider":"Gillers Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}