Royal Crown Derby

Royal Crown Derby

For over 250 years, Royal Crown Derby has manufactured the world’s finest tableware in the heart of England. Known for their trend-defining creativity, breath-taking service, and unrivaled quality, Royal Crown Derby has built a reputation for producing exquisite Fine Bone China. The company is still one of the few original fine bone china manufacturers that produce 100% in the UK. Royal Crown Derby’s history has an illustrious heritage in British society. Browse our selection of tableware, dinnerware, and fine bone china.

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Established in 1750 in Derby, England, and founded by Willaim Duesbury, the company was known as Derby Porcelain until 1773 when it became Crown Derby and the Royal being added in 1890.

The foundation of the Derby company came in 1756, when Willam Dusebury formed a business partnership with the banker John Heath, a porcelain painter formerly at Chelsea porcelain factory and Longton Hall, and Andre Planche, a Huguenot immigrant who had established the first china works in Derby. William became the guiding light in a very successful partnership manufacturing china of the highest quality.

Being a talented entrepreneur and innovator, Dusebury went on to develop a new body that contained glass frit, soapstone, and calcined bone. This enabled the factory to produce high-quality tableware and this quickly established Derby as a leading manufacturer of dinner services and figurines. The company would employ the most talented craftsman for modeling and painting.

Dusenbury’s reputation increased further in 1770 when he acquired the famous Chelsea porcelain factory in London. From that point on, the Derby paste included bone ash. Later, the opening of a London Showroom in 1773 marked the beginning of the widespread recognition of the excellence of Derby porcelain. His hard work was recognized and rewarded by King George III in 1775, who after visiting the Derby factory gave him permission to include the royal crown into the Derby stamp. After that, the company was known as Crown Derby.

William Dusenbury died in 1786, leaving the company to his son William Dusebury II. A talented successor, Willaim maintained the reputation of the company and innovated several new developments in body, glaze, potting, and decoration. The 1786-95 decade was one of the most desirable and interesting for collectors. Artistic talent included Boreman, the water-color landscape genius; figure painters Askew and Banford; and the exceptional talents of flower painters Withers, Billingsley, and Pegg. When Wiliam Duesbury died in 1797 at the young age of 34, many of his remarkable team left the factory which led to a temporary decline in the fortunes of Crown Derby.

It was Robert Bloor who restored the Derby porcelain reputation when he leased the factory in 1815. Bloor proved to be a savvy businessman and possessed a good eye for aesthetics. Under his leadership, he built a team of very fine painters and the company produced pieces that were larger, richly colored, and more flamboyant. This included bright-colored Japanese Imari patterns which became very popular.

In 1875, a new factory was built by the new owners of the Crown Derby name in Osmaston Road. This began the modern period of Derby porcelain and their romantic and lavish design patterns became extremely popular during the late Victorian era. In 1890, Queen Victoria appointed Crown Derby to be the manufacturers of porcelain to Her Majesty and granted them the title The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company.

In 1981, the first Royal Crown Derby paperweights, five birds, and a rabbit were launched. These models were to develop into one of the most important ranges of china figures in the world of collecting. In 2012, the company entered into an exciting new phase as it was acquired by one of the world’s most successful ceramic brands, Steelite International. The company set its sights on launching into a new market by providing fine bone china tableware to luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and hospitality throughout the world.

Today, Royal Crown Derby is the last prestige tableware brand to make all products exclusively in the United Kingdom. They continue to provide luxury dining products, taking immense pride in their heritage and making exceptional products for their distinguished clients around the world that have included Royal Families and the world’s finest hotels and restaurants.

12 Items

Set Descending Direction
  1. Darley Abbey
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$85.00

  2. Darley Abbey Pure Gold
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$40.80

  3. Darley Abbey White
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$70.55

  4. Harlequin
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$223.55

  5. Aves Gold
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$109.65

  6. Aves Gold Narrow Band
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$81.60

  7. Aves Gold Motif
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$89.25

  8. Aves Pearl
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$70.55

  9. Old Imari
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$157.25

  10. Derby Panel Green

    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$85.00

  11. Carlton Gold
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$59.50

  12. Elizabeth Gold
    by Royal Crown Derby

    Starting at C$102.00

12 Items

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