Vintage 1986 Royal Crown Derby Turtle Paperweight Imari English Bone China

Made in England 1986. 

Approximately 1 7/8" High x 4 3/4" Long x 2 3/4" Wide, 183 grams.

A charming vintage Royal Crown Derby Turtle Paperweight, produced in 1986 as part of the celebrated Imari Paperweight Collection.

Handcrafted in England from fine bone china, the turtle is richly decorated in Royal Crown Derby's distinctive Imari palette, featuring deep cobalt blue and iron-red coloration accented by extensive hand-applied gilt decoration.

The elaborate pattern covers the turtle's shell and body, giving this small sculptural piece the highly decorative appearance for which Royal Crown Derby's animal paperweights are particularly collected.

The underside bears the red Royal Crown Derby / English Bone China factory mark together with the Roman numeral date cypher XLIX, dating this example to 1986.

This example also retains its black base stopper, characteristic of earlier Royal Crown Derby paperweights. Later examples are frequently encountered with gold-colored stoppers, making the black stopper an appealing feature of this early-production example.

The Turtle was introduced during the early years of Royal Crown Derby's enormously successful series of collectible animal paperweights. Dating to 1986, this example was made only a few years after the model's introduction.

Excellent vintage condition. The porcelain appears free of chips, cracks, crazing, or visible repairs. The richly applied Imari decoration remains vibrant, with the extensive gilt decoration retaining a bright, lustrous appearance and showing little apparent wear. The facial details and painted decoration are well preserved. The underside shows minor expected shelf/contact wear consistent with age and display. Original black stopper is present. Please review photographs for additional condition details. Brand Display Not Not Included.