This is an antique Wedgwood Blue Jasperware Plaque. It comes in its original thick wooden Victorian frame moulding. The backing board of the frame was in very poor condition - so I have removed that and took the plaque out of its old frame for inspection.
The plaque is in good condition, with no chips, cracks or other such damage. It is nice and clean. Temporarily removing the plaque from its frame has allowed me to check for marks on the reverse. It has been taped securely back into the frame.
The plaque has two separate impressed marks one says: WEDGWOOD. The other says ENGLAND. This mark was used on Wedgwood ceramics for only a short period of time - from 1891 - 1908.
The plaque shows a frieze of Dancing Maidens and historically this types of design is more commonly referred to as The Hours.
Since there are only five maidens depicted on this plaque (often there are six. Six x 4 would make up the 24 hours of the day), the design probably relates more to the five women depicted in a bas-relief, now in the Louvre, known as the Borghese Dancers.
The bas-relief was previously on display in the Villa Borghese and it was purchased by Napoleon as part of the Borghese Collection in 1807 and was then put on display in the Louvre in 1820.
The Wedgwood Jasper plaques with five dancers are harder to source - and I would be happier to title this plaque as Borghese Dancers rather than Hours.
The artist John Flaxman of these famous Neo-Classical reliefs began his professional career as a modeller for Wedgwood, and a variety of these procession of figures is today generally called The Dancing Hours. They are some of Flaxman's best-known works.
I have returned the plaque to its original frame - and it is now ready to be hung on a wall for display. The slip-cast figures are all in excellent condition and nicely detailed. They are late Victorian or early Edwardian in date.
The plaque postage in the UK will be capped at £5.50. This will be applied to yoru order at the cheque out.