Derby Porcelain Figure: Ariadne, c. 1790

• Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Biscuit Porcelain - Biscuit porcelain refers to unglazed, white porcelain that has been fired at a high temperature to harden the material and make it suitable for painting or glazing. The term "biscuit" comes from the French word for "unbaked," referring to the fact that the porcelain has not yet been glazed. The porcelain's firing process is done at very high temperatures and requires good quality of kaolin which is one of the material used to make porcelain.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Derby (England) - figures and figurines 199