Derby Porcelain Works achieved great heights in centerpiece sweetmeat stands by making the bases in two kiln manageable sections. The two part base of this stand was heavily encrusted with fully modeled seashells decorated in their natural colors. The accurate rendition of shells, a specialty of the Derby factory, adds to the marine theme of the lively Neptune at the top. The solid, flat bottomed base, not raised on feet, was typical of Derby works in the 1750s and 1760s.