Plate

A wavy-edged (five-lobed) pewter plate (one of a set of ten) with a multiple-reeded rim, shallow well and flat base. The plate is engraved on the front of the rim with an unidentified armorial crest: on a torse a tower with a fleur-de-lis issuing from the battlements. There is a touch on the underside depicting the Prince of Wales feathers surmounted by a royal crown in a cartouche inscribed ‘THOMAS’ / ‘CHAMBERLAIN’ with a secondary ‘CHAMBERLAIN’ label in a beaded border below, by Thomas Chamberlain, London, OP873. Chamberlain had leave to strike his touch in 1734 and his trade-card gives his address as King Street, corner of Greek Street, St Ann’s Soho. He remained active until 1806. Date: 1750-70

Provenance: These plates (part of a garnish of 53 items) offered for sale at Sotheby’s on 9th July, 1970 (lots 39-47) were purchased by the dealer, Ronald Lee of Bruton Place, London. They were sold to the Museum of London on 15th July, 1970. A further twenty-two plates from this service appeared on the market again in 1972 and these were sold by Christies to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Museum, in Virginia (see Davis, 2003 cat. no. 146).