circa 1745, arms of Edwards impaling Manship to rim, halved, left side with gilt lion rampant on black and white ground, right side ship with three masts, on iron red ground under three gilt stars, gilt border to arms, opposite rim with profile bust of soldier in helmet, center depicting flowering plants, and butterfly, rim with two floral sprays, 11-1/2 in.

Note: "The arms of Edwards are of Farncott in Shropshire and formerly of Lea Castle, and are exactly as shown on the bookplate c.1755 of 'George Edwards, Librarian to the College of Physicians in London'.

These impaled arms are identical to the drawing of 1743 in Betham's manuscript (except that that has a label within the crescent for the eldest son of a second son) and are described there as 'Edwards - Manship of Compton in Surrey' (Volume IV, page 266). Betham also has a drawing of this Edwards coast and crest in 1739 with a mullet for difference (for a third son), quarterly and impaling 'Holsford'.

While it is certain that the porcelain is for Edwards impaling Manship, the relationship with George Edwards is not clear: they could be the same person (even though his bookplate ten years later has no difference), or he could be a close relative. It seems likely that the Edwards who married Miss Holsford was probably the younger brother of the owner of the service.

There is mention of the Manship family in Surrey by Manning and Bray (Volume II, page 498) and in Grantees of Arms 1687-1898 (Volume II) and it would seem very probable that Mrs. Edwards was the sister of John Manship who was a director of the Hon. East India Company 1755-8, and 1762-1809; in all, the longest period as director in the 18th Century."

Chinese Armorial Porcelain Volume II, David S. Howard, Heirloom & Howard, Ltd., Wiltshire, UK, 2003, p. 334.

Provenance: Christopher M. Weld, Essex, Massachusetts

spotting, accretion, anomalies (as made), label to base, spot lacking glaze, minor chipping to foot ring, under blacklight fluoresces to small areas on rim, indicating in-painting