10611 A Dutch Delft Kraak style dish, Greek A factory (Jan Dextra), finely decorated in a bright blue, the central panel of a perched dragonfly amongst flowers, surrounded by eight border panels decorated with flowers and Buddhistic motifs, the reverse with star and circle (mushroom pattern), on a raised foot rim, marked ‘D34’. Long hairline crack.
Dutch, Delft
1757-1765
Diameter: 13.5 ins (34 cms) £750
Description
Identical dishes of this type (V and A museum) are identified as being by Greek A factory under the ownership of Jan Dextra (1757-1765) though the D mark and this dragonfly pattern is also associated with the De Dissel factory circa 1695-1697. The factory was established in Delft in 1640 and closed in 1702.
This style of Kraak Delft would have been out of fashion by the mid 18th century and it is quite possible that De Dissel could have been the maker. A pair of very similar dishes at the Groninger Museum with dragon fly (possibly a grasshopper) motif and a brown glazed rim with D/34 mark, are attributed to the De Dissel factory 1694-97. This is clearly from the same factory and even decorator and would seem to have been a popular design for services. The owner of De Dissel at this period, Adrianus Kocx, was also owner of the Greek A factory at this period.
