P153 - DOCCIA PLATE
Circa 1780, gilt + mark
Painted with birds perched on trees before a pond, the cavetto gilt with trailing vine, the rim with an ovolo band
9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm) diameter

LITERATURE
Cleo M. and G. Ryland Scott Jr., Antique Porcelain Digest, Newport, England, 1961, p. 194, plate 114, fig. 404.

NOTES BY CLEO M. AND G. RYLAND SCOTT, JR IN THE LATE 1950’S
This is a most interesting plate. This factory made some very fine faience, but porcelain specimens are very rare. The plate was purchased at Parke-Bernet and was there expertized as Le Hove.

One of the reasons may have been the presence of an incised cross, but this could have been added later. The usual mark of Hove is a star. Hanover says this little known porcelain is soft paste with the single exception so far as he knows. Page 365 Hanover says, "This is the exceptional piece referred to above as being, in contrast to all other porcelain with the Nove mark, apparently of a sort of hard porcelain rather than soft paste."

Our specimen is hard paste and has a tin glaze and examination at first gives the impression that it is a faience. However, it is translucent but requires a strong light. The color by transmitted light is brown. The potting is thin and the glaze pitted.

On the other hand, the gold is fine and quite like Buen Retiro. The painting excellent and also quite like Buen Retiro. A most interesting specimen.