A Derby porcelain yellow-ground part tea and coffee service circa 1795-1800

each reserved on the front or in the center with a gilt-edged panel, titled on the underside, naturalistically painted with rural landscapes beneath the gilt laurel garland border at the rim; comprising: an oval teapot, stand and cover, two milk jugs, four teacups and saucers and four coffee cans, crowned crossed batons and D marks, inscribed titles, pattern number 531. 17 pieces.

Sold, The Property of Richard Buckingham, Esq, Christie, Manson and Woods, November 16, 1970, lot 114 (The teapot, cover and stand; two teacups and saucers and two coffee cans)

The teapot, cover and stand, John Twitchett, FRSA, Derby Porcelain, p.188, cat. no.224

Teapot, cover and stand: there is a tiny chip to the edge of the spout and some minor wear to the gilding on the knob of the cover. The stand with some minor patches of wear to the yellow ground and the gilding. Milk jugs: One milk jug with an approximate 1 1/2-inch haircrack running down the side from the rim edge and an associated tiny rim chip. The other milk jug with some minor wear and scratches to the yellow ground and the gilding. Tea cups: Some very minor and occasional wear to the gilding. One with an approximate 1 1/2-inch haircrack running down the side from the rim edge Coffee cans: Some very minor and occasional wear to the gilding. One with a small pinhead chip to the rim edge. Saucers: Some very minor and occasional wear to the gilding along the rim. One saucer has an area approximately 7 1/2 inches by 1 inch along the edge that has been broken and restored back, covering an . Another saucer with three tiny rim chips. One other saucer with a tiny rim chip.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The paintings on the teapot and stand are "strongly attributed" to Thomas 'Jockey' Hill by John Twitchett in Derby Porcelain, p.189. Three teacups, two saucers and two coffee cans in the present service exhibit similar characteristics and appear to have been painted by the same hand.
'Jockey' Hill joined Derby in 1794, where he worked as a landscape painter until 1800. According to Franklin A. Barrett and Arthur L. Thorpe in Derby Porcelain 1750-1848, pp. 57-58, Hill is specifically known to have painted landscapes "on pieces with the 'canary' yellow ground for which Derby was justifiably famous." Hill's stylistic attributes include delicately-painted small figures in the distance, his use of a bright palette and his preference for yellow tones for painting grass. For comparable examples of 'Jockey' Hill's style, see F. Brayshaw Gilhespy, Derby Porcelain, cat. no.96. and John Twitchett and Henry Sandon, Landscapes on Derby and Worcester Porcelain, pp.22-23.
The remaining components of this service, mostly depicting Scottish views, are possibly painted by George Robertson, who also was as one of the finest landscape and marine painters in the Derby factory. Robertson favored Scottish landscapes as a native of Scotland and used fall colors in his compositions, according to Twitchett and Sandon, ibid, where his landscape paintings for the same service are illustrated on pp. 24, 25 and 41. A pair of coffee cans from the same service is also illustrated by Anthony Hoyte, The Charles Norman Collection of 18th Century Derby Porcelain, p. 57.