Bloor Derby Duke of Devonshire Dessert Plate c.1820

We have for sale a very rare and attractive Bloor Derby period dessert plate decorated with the serpent crest of the Cavendish family of Chatsworth House dating to somewhere around 1820. This very striking plate is of a typical Bloor Derby moulded form with a gilded lobed border surrounding the central crest consisting of the green and black serpent, coiled into a knot used by the Dukes of Devonshire. This crest is also used above to doorways of Chatsworth house. The base of the plate carries the Crown and the capital D Derby mark introduced by Bloor in around 1820. The plate was most probably part of a service commissioned by William Spencer Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire 1790 - 1858. He was a keen supporter of the arts and spent his life enhancing his numerous houses and building a significant collection of artworks. The plate is in a very good to excellent antique condition. It does have the craquelure to the glaze typical of Bloor Derby porcelain, some very slight wear to the gilt in places associated with plate stacking and what appears to be some very faint brownish staining in poorer lights. The plate is 10.25 inches (26cm) in diameter.