Page 541 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

DESSERT PLATES. 469

of this ware. Both are unmarked, and have brown edges,
covered with When new, no doubt these
originally gilt.
services were very handsome, and must have looked well when
in use.
No. 826. Dessert plate. Diameter, 8 J inches ; height, 1 inch.
The decoration is chiefly in red over the glaze, with gilt. In
addition to the crest, the rim is decorated with two
gilt shells,
with red flowers and a sepia, and blue enamel basket with red
and and with flowers. The coat of
gilt pomegranates, peach
arms and the mantling are in red and silver, gilt being intro-
duced in the helmet and crest.
No. 827. Dessert plate. Diameter, 9 inches ; height, 1 inch.
The rim is decorated with two reserves, one with
European
and the other with Chinese junks and a
ship lighthouse,
drawn Between these are of
roughly pagoda. sprays purple
pink flowers with green foliage. The shield is red with a gold
border, the griffins being in white. The mantling is in red
and white, the palm leaf supporters being in green.
*
Masonic.
Following on the armorial plates, we will now glance at one
decorated with a masonic subject.
No. 828. A roughly-made porcelain plate, brown edge.
Diameter, 8 inches ; height, 1^ inch. No mark. At the
edge we have in gilt the usual spiked border, enclosed in two
black and a The centre decoration extends over the
gilt ring.
bottom and sides of the and is a in the
plate, evidently copy
usual mandarin colours of some said to
European drawing,
represent King Solomon explaining the plan of the temple to
the Queen of Sheba. Masonic implements and emblems are
strewn in front, but these do not show up in the photograph. 29
Dessert Plates.
No. 829 is somewhat out of place here, as it should by
have come with the other dessert with Chinese
rights plates
29 I had shown to me, some years ago, by an old resident from China, a
famille verte of the Kang-he period with Masonic emblems. I have
plate
written to my son, who is in China, to try and obtain any information he can
respecting ceramics with Masonic ornaments upon them. T. J. L.